


Pinion

by LittleLinor



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: (the character death doesn't stick btw I'm just including it to not accidentally trigger anyone), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Slow Burn, There are a lot more sigificant characters but I worry about tagging them...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-08-18 19:24:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 105,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8173081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLinor/pseuds/LittleLinor
Summary: As the climax of Plan G throws him in a battle far beyond his scale, Chrono finds himself forced to confront his past.An alternate take on the Stride Gate arc, and everything that came before it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As I stared at the wordcount for this fic and realised it will be a behemoth of a longfic, I decided that delivering it serially might make it easier to stay engaged, with the added fun of giving you guys content early. And so here we are. I hope you enjoy this wreck of a fic, both the parts that follow canon and those that definitely won't.
> 
> Keeping the key of this au secret for new readers is forcing me to not include a couple of tags I would normally have put, as well as some character names. If you'd like additional content warnings, don't hesitate to contact me directly!
> 
> Anyway, this au is going to follow canon closely at first... but the differences are already there, even in the earlier chapters. Have fun looking for them!

**Chrono**

“Oh! So you're Chrono too?”  
You wake up to the jolting of a truck and the teasing of your teammates.  
“I can't believe you can fall asleep even at a time like this,” Tokoha pretends to sigh.  
You don't even force a smile. You're tired, still, stretched at the edges a bit, a weird lethargy that's been pulling at you since the climax of your fight with Kamui. It's finally ebbing away with the fragments of your dream, but you can't completely shake the feeling that a part of you went into the attack that shattered the GIRS system—and hopefully Myoujin's plans—and didn't come back.  
Maybe you're just tired. You're not quite sure how Stride Force works, but it must run on _some_ kind of energy. It's only normal that you'd need to recuperate.  
The dreams, though, those don't feel quite normal. You don't remember having this precise one before, no matter how long you stare at Chrono Dran's card, but it still has the same sense of familiarity you felt every time you awakened a depend card.  
A feeling of—not quite déjà-vu, but something closer to recognition. The units you'd summoned, into whatever that dream space was, had treated you like a friend, and even though you can't remember, this meeting also feels familiar.  
But you'd looked so young in that dream. Nothing like the age you were when you awakened Chrono Dran's card, a mere few months ago.  
The truck slows down, and you tuck the card back into your pocket. If you're lucky, Myoujin will have answers.

**Ibuki**

You're not sure why you, of all people, have been allowed to stay together when everyone else in your little vanguard group has been scattered, but you don't like it one bit.  
From almost the moment you entered the facility, you've known something was wrong. If you truly had been taking them by surprise, the reaction would have been faster. Instead, your FICA had opened the door with no issues (which, to be fair, you'd _hoped_ for, but weren't quite counting on), and it had taken several minutes of you marching your forces into the building for the enemy's reaction to come.  
Almost as if you'd been invited in, before stripping your army away.  
But Chrono, Chrono hasn't been stripped away with the rest. Somehow he's still at your side, and you can't help but wonder what Myoujin is up to, what plan he could have that would profit from having you together rather than confront you separately, if confrontation there is.  
Divide and conquer. The others have been separated from you physically. But this could just be the setup to a different separation.  
The more you think about it, the more apprehension rises. If you'd been able to be fully honest with Chrono before, maybe you wouldn't be so worried. But it's too late to tell him now, when you're so short on time. You'll have to explain things later.

You're standing in front of the man you've been hunting for over a year, and it feels empty.  
He's weakened. It should be a good sign, make apprehending him easy, but once again there's something eerie about this, the way he showed himself to you both without a care in the world.  
He's acting like he's still in control, like you getting to him is something he _allowed_ instead of the fruit of months of preparation and Chrono's intense determination, and that in itself rings alarms in your brain.  
He only needs to utter a few sentences for you to know this is an enemy you can never beat in a loyal fight.  
Your operation, a mistake? Barbaric? As if he hadn't been the one to manipulate children, to endanger civilians, to build an army of his own. The only way to resist violence is stronger violence and a firm refusal to let yourself be upset by pain or setbacks; you've learned this early. A battle lost is a battle lost. A breakdown is a war slipping out of your hands.  
For all his words, you have a feeling that Myoujin will only answer partial losses with even more violence. Overwhelming and self-righteous.  
You need to stop him before it's too late. Before the conflict escalates.  
But you can't do that without fighting dirty.  
It's Chrono who breaks you out of your thoughts, his firm voice pulling you to reality like it always does, and you would have been grateful for his presence at your side if his next words didn't bring a chill to your back.  
“Isn't it your fault that my Dad's dead!?”  
You feel your world grind to an almost stop, the gears slowing as if paralysed with sand. You try your best not to betray the fear in your heart, the feeling of being too late, too weak yet again, the little voice that whispers _you didn't try hard enough_. You don't look at Myoujin, for fear he will see it in your eyes.  
He can't be unaware of Rive's survival. Someone had to have sent you. And Chrono's deck didn't come out of nowhere.  
When he fails to comment on it and instead teleports the units away, you're not sure whether you're angry or relieved.

Myoujin dies in front of you and goes up in flames, and you're too caught up in fear and anger to realise you should have protected Chrono from the sight.

**Chrono**

You walk among the cherry trees, and you feel a little guilty.  
To be fair, you could probably have fought at least one person before leaving, but the sight of the crowd had made you panic.  
You don't know why. You've always been a lone wolf, yes, but crowds, for the longest time, had been something to get lost in, blissful anonymity and blankness. A space of its own that shuts one's brain down.  
Just a few months ago, you might even have enjoyed this new, attentive crowd. Having people focused on you still isn't something you're used to, but after the public fights you've done, the G quest, the events at the Dragon Empire branch, you've found that being the center of attention can be fun, that a crowd can be both galvanising and easy to tune out when you need to focus. Just a few months ago, you'd have been awkward but proud.  
But today, the presence of so many people made you panic.  
It's slightly frustrating. You've never balked from using your instinct, but acting out of fear isn't You. But the reaction had been deep and visceral, like all your senses were overcrowded at once, and your brain had boiled and kicked you out before you could think.  
_You can't be clan leader if you freak out when people come close_ , you chide yourself. The thought almost makes you chuckle. The days when the generation master title had been your priority seem far away, now that you've been aware of the G quest's real meaning. Remembering now almost feels surreal.  
You might not even had noticed the child in front of you, if it hadn't been for the way your skin prickled when you came close, brushed by a wind that almost seemed to have come at his bidding.  
He's standing in the middle of the path, unmoving, his face staring up at the trees and sky with a smile so serene it makes your spine tingle like the crawling of insects.  
“Do you know why cherry blossoms are so beautiful?” he asks, artfully precise syllables wrapping around you before he even turns to watch you.  
The dread wound around your spine twists. You look around you, a small part of you desperate for reassurance that you aren't, in fact, the person he's talking to, but you already know you are.  
The child's eyes shine, their purple too undisturbed for a child his age.  
“A corpse is buried under the tree,” he states again, and the rest is almost lost to the roar in your ears.  
It's like the crowd again, the stinging, burning feeling on your skin, the chills now creeping up your back, like earlier, like the contrast when you'd started shaking, your back mostly untouched as your face and chest prickle with the heat washing over you from the blaze, your eyes dry and stinging, your breath short, your—  
You blink and bite your lip, force yourself to straighten, to look back at him despite the chills still coursing over your skin. The trees drink the corpse's blood, he says. You wonder if they would taint with ash.  
He smiles.  
“Let's fight, Chrono Shindou.”

You almost refuse. The use of your name is eerie and rings an alarm of _wrong, wrong, wrong_ in your head, but your eyes catch on a familiar card in his hand.  
Gunnergear Dracokid. Gear Chronicle.  
A wisp of hope breathes through you. You're being stupid. Irrational, like you have been for the last few days. All those kids at the Dragon branch knew your name, of course someone who's just started playing this clan would know it. There aren't a lot of prominent players, after all.  
And after running off on all those people, you'd feel bad denying this one.  
Might as well, before Taiyou gets there.  
You smile.  
“Let's do it.”

There's something about fighting him that's like fighting a mirror, a past self.  
You've never fought against your own clan before. For months, you'd been the only one with Gear Chronicle cards, and with the G quest you'd been fighting mostly your friends for training or the powerful opponents you'd been pitted against. Seeing units you used to fight with standing in front of you feels vaguely uncomfortable, even when it should give you an edge on his strategies.  
Is this what Shion and Tokoha feel, when they fight another Royal Paladin or Neo Nectar user? Is this what Ibuki—but Ibuki is the only one you've ever seen with Messiah cards. Link Joker players are rare enough as is, so you haven't fought enough of them to confirm it.  
Still, you smile at him. It'd be unfair otherwise. What kind of guy glares at a kid just because he's not used to fighting his own clan? You've had enough comments on your scary face as is.  
He goes for his first drive check, and the smile on his lips drives the dread right back into your spine, heavy and chilled.  
“I like Vanguard,” he says, and the words don't _sound_ right, not for a child, not with this tone.  
Your breath freezes, and burns.  
“Unlike barbaric violence, you can resolve things rationally and logically.”  
He pulls his trigger. And doesn't even need to look at it.  
“I hate violence, you see,” he all but whispers.  
And deep down, you know.  
The same words. The same eyes. But what drives it home isn't any of this, but his reaction when you flinch away. Self-assured, not worried or confused. Taunting, almost, as if he was looking down at you instead of up.  
The same self-righteousness.  
But you've seen—you've _seen_ him die, seen him burn, smelled flesh and fuel pressing into your lungs and his heat against your skin. Myoujin is _dead_.  
You grit your teeth and make yourself attack. Whoever this kid is, if this isn't just you losing your mind, he'll reveal his hand better the more you fight.  
(A fight reveals everything about a person)  
But you don't even have time for that. One attack and he smiles at you again, and you feel cold sweat on your face, your back.  
“That's why I created the Vanguard association,” the child who isn't a child says. “To lead the world to a perfect future.”  
You wonder if he's even human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews/screaming/theories are greatly appreciated. This fic is going to kill me, and any support will make writing it much easier.
> 
> On a side note, if anyone is well versed in card lore (and cray lore in general), I'm going to need a bit of help on some parts, so if you feel like helping, please contact me!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost split this chapter in two, but I think it works best as a unit.

**Ibuki**

The meeting with Mamoru, needed as it was, doesn't actually help you.  
It allows you to share information, at least; with the way Mamoru involved himself despite your warnings, holding back seems futile. You need his connections, his easy way with people that has allowed him to get to know most major players, both literal and metaphorical. Anyone of importance knows Mamoru Anjou, has been to a meeting or shared a glass with him. The clan leaders, of course, but less seemingly important association staff too, with the gentle and respectful way he treats them, and simple, non-affiliated fighters, those from his branch of course, but almost anyone with actual notoriety.  
If anyone can catch wind of rumours and track them to their source without being noticed, it's Mamoru.  
Unfortunately, the enemy is ahead of you. The Dark Zone chief has already disappeared, and Hiroki Moriyama, despite his apparent taste for theatrics, didn't have much of a reputation yet. As for Shinonome, you want to go back in time and kick yourself three times over for not tracking him down earlier. You should never have let him disappear without monitoring him. Keeping tabs on him could have given you precious information, instead of leaving you scrambling to catch up.  
You suggest investigation threads, and don't tell him the last reason you're finally sharing so much with him.  
You've seen what Myoujin is capable of. If you die, you can't let your knowledge die with you.

You're halfway back to the United Sanctuary branch when you hear Chrono's voice.  
Something inside you twists. There's the same determination in his voice that he puts in his fights, but it's wrapped into something darker, sharper, an edge of anger you hadn't heard even when he faced you during the G quest. Even when he screamed at Myoujin, a mere couple of days ago.  
You let your skin harden and take a shaky breath.  
Everything is happening too fast, unravelling in your hands, your plans slipping from your fingers. And you know as you look up towards him that the next one to slip away could be him.  
Even from this distance, you can see the set of his shoulders, the strength in the way he holds himself, and it feels closer to staring up at Chronoscommand than at his physical body.  
You can almost feel the attack coming.  
“I've got something to ask you.”  
“What is it?”  
“My dad… Rive Shindou, is it true he's alive?”  
You don't need GIRS to feel the world come down around you.

Buying him a drink might be stalling, but you didn't want to have this conversation in the middle of the street after his outbursts, and having bought something will ensure no one will complain about your sitting or disturb you for a decent while.  
But logistical concerns aside, you need time to think.  
Someone has talked to him. Someone has access to information that you don't, and Myoujin's knowledge hasn't died with him. You'd thought you'd have a bit of time before handling this issue, but it seems that again, even from the grave, he's been faster than you.  
Chrono might be perceptive, but there is no way you can see that he could have deduced the truth just from Myoujin's subtle reaction.  
It means someone else has been tasked with targeting Chrono. Which would be worrying in itself, if it wasn't for the one thing that doesn't add up.  
Nowhere between Chrono's accusations and Myoujin's death has he had the chance to communicate with anyone.

You set his glass in front of him, and wonder how you can explain this to him without ruining everything.  
You weren't supposed to. You were not to tell him of Rive's survival at all. Even now, the idea of going against your orders makes you feel slightly sick.  
But Chrono—you were supposed to _protect_ Chrono, and you've failed him consistently. And yet, despite this, he's _trusted_ you, and taken on more responsibilities than anyone his age should have to bear, given your stumbling feet a clearer path to step on. Walked past the shield you were supposed to be, to spearhead the GIRS crisis attack like a vanguard, to go after Myoujin with you not as a ward but as an equal.  
You've been relying on his strength, and he's _let_ you. You can't leave him in the dark like this, not anymore. Not when ignorance of the situation could put him at risk.  
Not when you owe him so much.  
You try to put your thoughts into words, but he grabs the reins of the conversation before you can.  
“An elementary school kid came to the Dragon Empire branch yesterday… He said he was Ryuzu Myoujin.”  
The gears in your mind start turning. What technology did he even have at his disposition—  
“He said he'd known that he would die if he tried summoning the units… so he cloned himself. So when he'd reach his limit, he'd just have to put his memories into that body.”  
_He rises again_. You could have kicked yourself.  
“And he said—the same things he did back in the lab. About vanguard being like an oracle. Destiny. The...” he pauses, frowning as he searches for the right words, “the 'truth that governs the world'.”  
You watch him in silence as he talks, head and shoulders slumping, hands unusually held together.  
You've seen transient fear in him, but never this kind of vulnerability. You've never seen him _subdued_.  
And it's your fault.  
“… it was definitely Ryuzu,” he finishes, still looking down.  
It all makes sense. But the implications are too big for you to straighten out right now, not alone, anyway. You need to look into it, to think about every possible lead this could give you. Where did he acquire such technology? When? If this new body is that of an elementary school child, has it grown at a normal rate, and if yes, how did he keep this technology secret for the better part of ten years? As far as you're aware, Rive Shindou didn't know about it. How many allies does he have, further undercover? Could more copies exist—of him, or of anyone else, for that matter?  
It's too much. You can't do it all on your own, and you can't focus with Chrono looking so dejected in front of you—but time is _short_ , any second you waste could be crucial…  
You grab your phone. First send your allies to investigate. Then take care of Chrono. Then launch yourself into the battle again, once you're sure he will be fine.  
“I'll have to verify this,” you say, reaching for your pocket.  
“ _Wait just a second!_ ”  
He stands, and your hand stops of its own accord, pinned in place by his voice.  
“Tell me about my father _now_.”  
He stares you down. You don't want to do this. And yet, you can't move, his eyes keeping you in place as efficiently as if you'd been Locked.  
You can't say no to him.  
“… is he really alive?” he asks, and the lack of _hope_ in his voice hurts. They should have been reunited in better circumstances. But now all you're seeing in him is uncertainty and rage. You let your hands drop before he can see them clench. He stares at you still. “… I saw… something. During GIRS Crisis.”  
He knows.  
“… I see.”  
You swallow, look away.  
“It's true. Your father… Rive Shindou is alive.”

You tell him. About your travels, although you can't really talk _about_ them, nor the reason you even undertook them. Your meeting with Rive. The Depend Cards.  
You're not even surprised when his glass falls. You've steeled yourself to his fury, because you know, painfully, that you've deserved every bit of it. Instead of flinching, you keep your fists tight and make yourself hold his gaze.  
It's something you've trained yourself to do for years. One of the first things you did.  
“You...” He's almost shaking with rage. “You didn't just know, you actually _met my dad!?_ Are you _kidding_ me? How could you keep something like that from me!?”  
You should tell the truth. But you've already betrayed Rive's expectations. Betrayed Chrono's trust, too, as much as you wish you could go back on it.  
You don't want him to hurt even more. You know all too well how much being discarded by one's own family hurts. And Rive… Rive only sought to protect his family. They'd be reunited once Myoujin was defeated, he'd explained. Letting him know and wait would only upset him. But now, because of your incompetence, he's hurting anyway.  
“The priority was to thwart Ryuzu Myoujin's mad ambition.”  
Better give him a scapegoat than let his feelings regarding his family be tainted. It's not like you didn't deserve it, anyway.  
You lie.  
“… I decided any intelligence not related to that would only cause a messy distraction.”  
He's up before you have time to process it, and you almost flinch away. But years of training take over, keeping your body rigid and your eyes firmly, blankly ahead.  
His hand lands on your shoulder. Something small shakes in your lungs.  
“That wasn't for you to decide!” he says, and despite his anger he's not yelling anymore. Instead his voice is rough, sharp, and it commands your attention even better than the hand on your shoulder does. You turn to look at him. “This is about _me_!”  
You could have fought him off. Anyone else, and you would have. It wouldn't take much to throw someone his size, grab his wrist and twist it and make him shy away from touching you ever again.  
But you look up through your bangs and his face is stern and fierce, not mean-spirited, and you remember the last time he yelled at you, the words that had cut through you, through the knots in your chest and rearranged some of the pieces, the smiles he gave you afterwards when you finally, finally let go of some of the weight you were carrying, sharing even part of the truth with him.  
You remember walking away afterwards and feeling light, almost scarily so, something warm and quiet bubbling in your chest like too much relief after years of tension, blooming after his words cut you open.  
And he's right, and you wish you could tell him. That you _know_ he's right, that you wouldn't have hidden it for so long if you could have done it differently, that the one who ordered you to stay silent only has his best interests at heart.  
But you can't.  
“And yet,” he says, and his voice sounds not just angry but _upset_ , and your throat locks at the sound, “you kept me out of the loop!”  
You avert your eyes.

He's still holding your shoulder when your phone rings.  
You hesitate, looking back up at him for permission, but he sighs in frustration and releases you, taking a step back to allow you space. You reach for it.  
The called ID points you to the United Sanctuary Branch's secondary line. The lab one.  
Static settles over your skin. You pick up.  
“What is it?"  
“Mr. Ibuki, Sir, you said to warn you if anything happened—” You almost cut them off, but they thankfully get to the point before you have to. “It's about Company.”  
But if they had _found_ anything, this call would come from Ren. Or Shinjou. For the staff to call you directly, it must mean…  
“Company, you say?”  
“A fighter just arrived at the branch claiming to represent them… His accomplice has hijacked the main hall's controls and locked the door...”  
“What happened?” Chrono asks, coming closer again, and you hold back a wince.  
“I'll be right there,” you tell the staff member before closing your phone. You turn to Chrono. “A fighter calling himself a member of Company just arrived at the United Sanctuary Branch.” You stand up without even thinking about it, already focused on the fastest way to get there. Your car is still parked near your apartment, and public transit would be too slow— “Ren's team is out tracking down Company right now,” you explain as he gasps. “If they plan to attack, they're currently without protection. I need to go support them right away—”  
“I'm coming with you.”  
You blink.  
“I said I'm coming with you. What if there's more of them, are you gonna fight them alone? Besides, this time of day...”  
Children would already be out of shool and playing. You hesitate for half a second, but his face only hardens.  
You nod.  
“I'll call a taxi, it'll be faster than walking to the station.”  
“You do that, I'll pay. Faster.”  
You don't waste time arguing.

**Chrono**

Even with Ibuki's urgent phonecall and a bit of running to get things paid and reach the intersection, it takes far too long for your liking to get into the taxi, and longer still to drive to your destination.  
You should have expected it. It's not quite the slow crawl of rush hour, but there's still a fair amount of cars on the streets, and no amount of motivation is going to make the taxi magically fly over them.  
You bite your lip and look out of the window impatiently, trying to catch sight of the Branch's tower even though you know it'll be obscured by buildings for a while yet.  
Next to you, Ibuki is so rigid you can feel the tension from where you are.  
“… it'll be a while before it comes into view,” he sighs.  
“I _know_ ,” you snap back, and you turn to give him a piece of your thought but the sight of him makes you stop.  
He's clinging to his phone, fingers even paler than usual with the strength of it, and the tension spreads up his arms, to his shoulders, his back.  
He looks _scared_.  
You deflate.  
“… they're moving fast,” you finally venture, and feel relieved when he seems to snap out of it, his eyes focusing on you. “It took you guys months to find him and now in a matter of days they're strolling into Association Branches like it's nothing?”  
“They've blindsided us. I should have assumed he'd be aware I was tracking him.” He sighs. “… about your question...” he tries to continue, but he trails off and you shake your head.  
“You'll tell me later. It's gonna take a while, right?”  
He nods.  
It's frustrating. Having your world upturned like this when you're already trying to process the events of the last few days is making you antsy, restless. Tired.  
But at the very least, Ibuki's attitude tells you what you needed to know.  
Whatever reason Ibuki had to hide this from you, no matter how _stupid_ and conceited it was, wasn't meant to harm you. You know him well enough by now to know that any emotion that breaks from behind his defensive mask of badly built perfection is genuine.  
The shame on his face, the fear, those were real. And so was, you think, the little glint of lost desperation you saw in his eyes when he turned them towards you, before he turned them away.  
He really must be more out of his depth than he planned. Maybe that should worry you, but it's not like you can turn back now. You'll just have to hope you can fight back hard enough.  
“Just don't forget. You're not off the hook yet.”  
He gives the faintest of smiles.  
Thunder crashes, blinding you and making the driver swerve. Ibuki's hand lands on your shoulder and pushes you down, his chest curled above your head.

In the few minutes it takes you to pay the taxi, get out and past the jam of cars locked in awkward configurations by the accident that miraculously didn't happen, and run the few hundred meters left to the branch, the rain has started to fall. You think about how much further you could have swerved had the ground already been wet, and feel colder even than from the rain.  
You still feel Ibuki's hand on your shoulder, his harsh breath above you, still feel the blindness on your eyes from being shoved into a dark corner after the flash.  
As you reach the branch building, you're torn between shock, and gratefulness that you'd been distracted by talking to Ibuki rather than staring out as you'd been just before.  
The entire building seems torn in two. There's a large gash like a wound cleaving it right down the center, the edges still smoking as rain hits them. You gasp and run forward faster, your throat tight, homing in on the children, teenagers and couple of staff members you see still exiting the building.  
One of them recognises you, homing in on you rather than Ibuki.  
“Mr. Chrono!”  
You search your memory as you slow down—one of the kids who had been with Taiyou last time you visited. Kenta…rou? You think it's Kentarou.  
“What's the matter?” you ask him, stopping and leaning your arms on your knees to catch your breath as Ibuki, not even winded, uses the few strides he has on you to catch up to the staff directly.  
“Taiyou… Taiyou's still inside...”  
“Taiyou was there!?” You swear inwardly and wince, ignoring the pain in your legs and lungs to straighten. “I'm on it.”  
You run ahead. Behind you, Ibuki's voice calls for you.  
“Wait!”  
“Taiyou is still inside!” you call back, not waiting for his answer.  
You expect more arguments, but instead all you hear are his footsteps following you as you dash through the door.

Taiyou, to your relief, isn't buried under some rubble, or agonising on the floor. You find him in the main hall, half-slumped against what's left of a wall, staring blankly at the sky and the rain pouring from the opening in the wall. You rush towards him, and almost sag with relief when his head moves up, even just slightly, to look at you.  
“Taiyou!”  
He tries to walk towards you, but still falters. You catch him before he can fall, kneel with him to help him sit.

“So he's finally begun using the summoned units,” Ibuki says as Taiyou finishes his story.  
Of course. With fully materialised units, he can afford to do things like this. But to summon them out of nowhere, with just a card?  
It had cost him his life to summon them. How is he just having random people call them now?  
You turn to Ibuki for answers, or at least theories, but his back is turned, and he offers none.  
“I couldn't protect it...”  
You turn back to Taiyou.  
“If you lose, you're evil… I didn't want… that kind of thinking… to be brought back to United Sanctuary ever again… but...”  
He looks so small, hunched like this. And yet, the shadow on his face, the shaky determination in his voice, they look much too much like an adult's to you.  
He's no longer the shy, naive child you taught Vanguard to.  
Your phone beeps.  
**The first Judgement has been carried out.**  
You gasp. Next to you, Taiyou doesn't move.  
**There is no need to grieve. When the perfect future arrives, pain will cease to exist.**  
_Pain will cease to exist._ You realise with a chill that the future is the only part that matters to him.  
But what of the pain in the present? First Taiyou, then whom? Shion, Tokoha? Ibuki?  
You? How far would he go to justify a painless future?  
You stare at the phone, still in shock, until Ibuki finally turns towards you.  
“Asukawa, can you walk?”  
Taiyou looks up in surprise.  
“Y-yes. I'm just a little shaky.”  
“Good. Have one of the staff members call a taxi for you. You need to rest. Can you walk him there?” he adds, turning towards you and looking you in the eye. “I need to call an investigation team immediately, and warn the other clan leaders.”  
“… yeah.” You stand, and offer Taiyou your hand to help him up. “… I'll call you later, all right?”  
To your surprise, he smiles. Tired, but somehow relieved.  
“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading so far, please tell me your thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter this time! There was too much in this episode to do in one go tbh.

**Chrono**

You don't call the taxi. By the time you've reached the bottom of the building, Taiyou's steps have stabilised, and so have your thoughts.  
You need more information. Not from Myoujin, whose perspective you don't trust. Not from Ibuki, who has answers but doesn't need anything from you that you can offer in exchange for them.  
But there is one more player who knows them both, and doesn't seem to be involved in this whole thing.  
You look around.  
“… Taiyou,” you whisper.  
He looks up, too tired to answer but still listening.  
“… Do you know where Chief Kanzaki went?”

**Ibuki**

Chrono and Taiyou are still at the bottom of the building when you exit it, waiting for your team to arrive.  
“Aren't you two going home?” you sigh.  
Chrono looks up at you. A little defiant, and for a second, you worry that your decision was the wrong one, that you've pushed him far enough that you can't trust him after all. But his next words catch you by surprise.  
“I told him what was happening.”  
“… I see.”  
“He deserves to know.”  
You try not to wince. The words he leaves unsaid are obvious enough.  
“… thank you,” you finally say. “I'll leave that in your hands.”  
He nods. You hesitate.  
“… Shindou… about your father...”  
You're interrupted by the arrival of several vehicles, and calls of your name. Chrono sighs.  
“… give me a moment,” you apologise, before turning to your team.

By the time you've roped off the building and given proper instructions, Chrono and Taiyou have finished talking and are waiting for you.  
“Now… where was I...”  
“Go.”  
You gasp.  
“You're busy, right?”  
You look at him. Now more than ever, you wish you were actually good at this, at judging people and reading their emotions, their intentions. But the awareness you've developed to the moods of certain types of people doesn't extend to someone like Chrono.  
But you know him, or at least you like to hope that you do. You've spent a lot of time watching him. Even before he made friends, even before he grew into the person he is now, you've never seen even a hint of significant malice or even petty vindictiveness from him. He may have been gruff and solitary, but you've never seen him harm others or take the easy way out.  
And you know what anger looks like on him. You've seen his fury both hot and cold, directed both at you and at others.  
No, that look on his face isn't anger. It's determination.  
You nod.  
“… your father disappeared to keep his family from getting involved,” you blurt out before you can help yourself. More than you were supposed to say, already, but you want him to trust you as much as you trust him, and you can't expect him to do that if you keep hiding everything. What's one more order broken, at this point? “That sentiment is not a lie.”  
He doesn't seem convinced. But there's not much more you can do, when he's already dismissed you.  
You turn back towards the leader of the investigation team, who's been obediently waiting by the door.  
“Anything new?”  
“Not on the ground floor. We're assessing the building's stability before going any further.”  
Behind you, you hear a taxi pulling up. Chrono's voice calling out.  
“I'll see you tomorrow, then!”  
Whatever he's planning, he wouldn't involve Taiyou if it was dangerous.  
You feel a little safer. Maybe there's still a way to handle this situation.

**Chrono**

Stepping into the train with Taiyou the next day, at least, makes you feel a little better.  
It's been a shitty night, if you're completely honest. There was just too much for you to think about. Your father being alive. The depend cards, and their real potential (what if you accidentally summoned Chrono Dran one day? What kind of havoc could it cause?). The Branch's destruction. Company's goals, Taiyou's story about this kid who can't have been older than him but still follows someone like Myoujin.  
Halfway through, you'd given up and gotten back up to prepare a proper bento for the day. Better than buying one at the station, you thought, and it'd keep your hands and brain occupied.  
When you finally went back to sleep, you were exhausted, and it wasn't a very restful half-night. But the morning, at least, feels brighter now that you're actually on the train.  
For the first time in far too long, you're an actor. Not a spectator, nor being guided around. You're finally grasping what you want with your own hands, walking forward.  
It feels good.  
You hand Taiyou some tea.  
“I'm sorry for tagging along...” he tries to apologise.  
“What are you talking about? I'm glad you did.” He blinks and you grin. “It feels safer than going alone. If anything, I'm surprised you believed me. About Cray existing… real units being summoned...”  
He looks down into his tea.  
“To be honest… it hasn't quite hit me yet. But after what I saw at the United Sanctuary Branch...”  
You reach for the depend cards.  
This enemy isn't going to be fought by keeping secrets.

You stand most of the way up a mountain, and you're starting to regret your choices.  
You didn't expect it to be easy. But you also expected to find _some_ kind of clue by now. But it's been a couple of hours already, and you've found nothing.  
This plan is starting to make you feel as helpless as the entire situation does.  
You lean against a rock and try not to let your body's weariness reach your mind.  
It all feels like too much. For someone who was apparently supposed to not get involved, you sure as hell feel caught up in the middle of all this mess. So what was the point of disappearing, then? Why leave you behind?  
“Chrono!”  
You blink the sun and sweat out of your eyes and turn to Taiyou.  
“What is it?”

The statue you find, if you can even call it that, looks vaguely like a marshmallow man on a horse. How Taiyou recognised it's supposed to be Aurageyser, you have no idea. But then again, he's spent months training under Kanzaki's rule. He's been in Demise, even. You trust his eye better than you do yours.  
Especially by the fifth statue (that one, to be fair, does look a little more recognisable).

You follow the Aurageyser Road. It's long, but it's a better lead than anything you've had so far, and to your relief, they _do_ get better and better as you go, a clear direction rather than random peppering (how long has he been working on those anyway!?). By the time you find Kanzaki, you're tired enough that you barely notice him hanging from the cliff, and enough that when Taiyou slips, you miss and tumble after him.  
It's like for every good thing that happens, the universe reminds you that it's there to kick your ass.  
Kanzaki, at least, recognises the both of you instantly.  
“I wanna ask you something. Tell me about the Depend Cards.”  
He smiles. Something in you wants to kick him, but you're not getting closer to those horses if you can help it.  
“I see. The card that was stolen from me. Did Ibuki entrust it to you?”  
_Ibuki again._  
“If you've successfully awakened a Depend Card,” he continues, “there is nothing left for you to ask me.”  
He starts turning away, and you feel the last few days' anger settle into your bones.  
“It's not just me,” you tell him, loud enough that he can't pretend to not have heard it even with the noise of his horse and the nearby river. “Ryuzu Myoujin, the Honorary President of the Vanguard Association, also awakened seven cards...” and because he still doesn't react (how much did he know, how much did _everyone_ know), you deliver the one piece of news you hope he doesn't have yet: “… and he died.”  
That finally stops him.  
“… you didn't know?” Taiyou asks. “It was all over the news.”  
But he wouldn't have seen that from here. And you were counting on it.  
You give him a few moments. Let it sink in.  
You watch him shift in the saddle. Look up to the sky, posture forgotten.  
“… but he's alive,” you finally tell him.  
He turns towards you.  
“What are you talking about!?”  
And finally, _finally_ , you have a hold on something.  
“If you wanna know… tell me everything you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Aurageyser Road. It's like the yellow brick road, except with more edgedark horsemen)  
> Anyway. Shouma Time next chapter


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Shouma Shinonome is an Experience

**Ibuki**

You don't waste time. With the assault on an Association Branch, you can finally denounce Myoujin as an attacker even to the rest of the association, and that means you can involve other clan leaders openly.  
It lifts some of the immediate danger off Mamoru, something you'd been worried about for a while. Having him investigate undercover was putting him at risk. With all clan leaders aware of the situation, he can finally act without needing to conceal his activities, and has more people to rely on if anything goes wrong.  
Before now, the only leaders he could trust were you and Ren. And Ren is doubly out of the question right now.  
By the time the rain stops and the city's night life starts, you've sent a preliminary report to all clan leaders and several other trusted members of the association, with a short statement about Myoujin's goals, chosen pieces of evidence, and the first results of your investigation on the United Sanctuary Branch.  
With everything you could possibly do in this particular moment taken care of, you find yourself at a loss, weariness sinking into your muscles and clouding your senses, although unfortunately not your brain.  
You lean against a bench, the prospect of walking the short distance left to your home and finding something to eat suddenly seeming insurmountable.  
It's too much. No matter how hard you try, things seem to slip out of your fingers like so much sand. But keeping hold of any of it, grasping anything and keeping it safe, makes you feel like you're carrying lead.  
He has you outclassed. And no matter how hard you fight, you won't be able to do a thing unless the other players in this game fight along with you.  
You have no choice but to trust them. And that may be the most terrifying part.  
Next to you, a couple strolls by, giving a vaguely accusatory glance at your use of the bench, and walks off, presumably in search of another one. You really need to go home. Staying out there makes you feel strangely uneasy, paranoid, as if someone's watching you. But you're used to the feeling by now—more often than not, it's just a leftover from the years you spent with an alien presence stapled to your back. And your apartment's cold interior feels even more overwhelming right now, especially with the pressure. Here, at least, you can feel the night air against your skin.  
You'll still need to eat. Tempting as it is to just buy an energy drink, you know that you won't make it through the next two days without at least something solid. If nothing else, you should at least make yourself eat a block. You're used to them enough to know it'll stay even if you get nauseated.  
Or you could take a risk and treat yourself to soba.  
The thought makes you smile, lightly. It's been months now, but you still remember the impulse that had you order it, as if you couldn't just have put the card in Chrono's mailbox. In retrospect, it was an awkward attempt, but you'd felt so guilty about the situation that you'd wanted to do something for him, even something as small as buying him food to spare him the hassle of cooking late at night.  
What would he say now? Seeing you leaning dejectedly against a bench with an empty stomach?  
_Is that how an adult behaves?_  
To your surprise, you smile again, a hint of a laugh dying in your throat. It had infuriated you back then, but now the memory of his scolding feels warm. No matter how harsh it had been, he'd been trying to help at least as much as he was standing for himself, and you can't help but admire him for that. The time when you thought him self-centered is long past.  
He's already done for you more than you ever did for him. You wonder if you can ever pay that back, or if he'll want you out of his life so completely that you can't even help or protect him from the shadows.  
And just like that, your mind's made up. You want to tell him the truth. All of it—or almost. That it was his father's decision to send you to him still isn't something you want to disclose. But it doesn't change much in the grand scheme of things.  
_Next time I see him_ , you tell yourself. Next time, when you've set all this into motion, you can tell him.  
But in the meantime…  
In the meantime, you know he has plans of his own. You're almost completely sure that Myoujin has contacted him again, the way he'd tracked him down to talk to him directly yesterday, but if joining Myoujin was his goal, he wouldn't be taking Taiyou with him. But more importantly, you trust him. Whatever he's up to, you know it will help rather than hinder.  
But as long as you haven't located Myoujin, you can't be sure he won't be in danger. The destruction of United Sanctuary had been a warning. If he finds him, would he try to win him to his side? Or punish him for standing against him.  
Letting Chrono do as he likes may draw him into the open. But at the same time, you've put him at risk.  
You hesitate. Remember his face as you escorted him out of Myoujin's facility, his breath still short with smoke and panic. Reach for your phone.  
“I want one of your men to keep an eye on Chrono Shindou,” you tell the head of your investigation team when he picks up. “I have reasons to believe Myoujin may attempt to make direct contact.”

When you wake from the remains of your fitful night the next morning, responses have already begun pouring in.  
Mamoru's response is the first—convincingly shocked and reactive—closely followed by the leader of your own Branch. Further reports from your team follow, confirming what you already suspected: the lightning that destroyed United Sanctuary Branch cannot have been natural. The patterns of the strikes indicate that destruction started within the hall even before the flash that blinded everyone and almost made your taxi crash happened. That part was merely released energy as the first of the structure gave way.  
And yet, from Taiyou's reports and what the few remaining staff members said, the unit hadn't been fully physical yet. If _that_ was the power of a half-materialised unit, what destruction could a fully summoned one cause?  
You force yourself out of bed, and make a cup of instant coffee to give yourself the courage to go through the day.  
When you come back to your phone, a new email informs you that Chrono and Taiyou have boarded a train headed out of the city.

By the middle of the day, almost all leaders have responded; Satoru Enishi, as expected, hasn't given sign of life. Mamoru offers to organise a meeting between the remaining leaders; you agree, grateful for one less thing on your hands.  
Instead, you go back to the branch, then to Myoujin's old lab, looking for clues. You find Christopher Lo hard at work on the digital end of things; you, on the other hand, search for any remaining clues to how Myoujin could have transferred his memories.  
To your dismay, there's not much to find. The charred remains of Myoujin's corpse have been evacuated already, but so was a large part of the chair he was sitting on. What's left was too damaged by the fire to see much, and although you do find tubes and wires, they could easily have been those of his life support.  
The information is probably there. But you have no way to pick it apart from the rest.

It's evening by the time you head home, the late spring night already fallen. You catch up to your reports; none of your investigations on Company members have borne any fruit, Rummy Labyrinth remains unreachable, and Chrono and Taiyou still haven't come back from their trip.  
You call the person you put in charge of watching them.  
“They still haven't returned?” you ask him after a quick exchange of politeness.  
“I waited at the bus stop as instructed. It didn't seem to me like they were packed for a night out, so I thought they would be back by now. However, I asked some of the locals, and may have found the reason for their trip.”  
“What is it?”  
“Ex-chief Kanzaki is apparently training in the area.”  
Of course. He went to find information at the source, from the only person outside Company who may know of the underlying conflict behind recent events.  
And about the Depend Cards.  
“… understood. Then keep going as planned and keep following. If anything actually happens, I'm counting on you.”  
You barely wait for confirmation before closing your phone, and prepare to check on Mamoru's progress again when a voice sounds behind you.  
“Well, aren't you busy!”  
You gasp and turn, but in truth you've already recognised his voice, and you're cursing yourself for not noticing him earlier. _Where did your reflexes go?_ What use are all the times you can't relax until you're completely isolated, the instinctive urges to fight people before they can be a threat, if they don't even allow you to detect real danger when it's there?  
Shouma Shinonome gives you a calm, satisfied, _superior_ smile, and you feel like throwing up even before he brings up the food and drink in his hands.  
“What do you want?”  
“Such a cold welcome. And here I was, coming to greet you, even ready to share this!” You keep your face expressionless, but he smiles further anyway. “Well, are you going to keep me standing? We should at least sit down to chat. How about that bench here? It looks so comfortable.”  
Your stomach hardens. It could be innocent, but you don't think “innocent” and “Shinonome” have ever belonged in the same sentence.  
Maybe you weren't being paranoid after all.  
They're one step ahead of you again. You frantically try to remember what precisely you said yesterday that could have been overheard, what information was said out loud and what wasn't. You're generally careful with it as a rule, but…  
“Well?”  
You grit your teeth. No choice but to play along for now. At least if you're lucky you might learn something.

You sit on the bench. Shinonome, as if to rub in how blatantly fake his excuse was and how much you're letting him get away with it, doesn't sit.  
Instead he puts down his food next to you, as if you'd actually share it.  
“Want some sweets? It's salt daifuku; this shop is famous for it, isn't it?” He chuckles. “But you might already know that. You live in the area, don't you?”  
You might have been shocked if this had been your first hint. But by now you've been operating on the assumption that you've been stalked already. All this gives you is grim confirmation.  
“It seems to me Company has too much time on its hands.”  
“Don't worry,” he says, tipping his coffee at you as if giving a toast, “Judgement will come down on you soon enough.”  
You hate him.  
“I'm ready anytime,” you grit out, and you're not even sure when your deck made its way into your hand but you don't even care right now. No matter how much the rational part of your mind tries to remind you that staying calm is the best way out of this situation, your heart and body are crying out for a fight, for some kind of release from the stress and tension and helplessness.  
If he offered to face you right now, you would, risks be damned.  
“So eager! You're an impatient man… but I kinda like that.”  
“Please let me fight him instead.”  
You hadn't heard him come, either. You'd been too caught up in the disgusted, tightening feeling in your throat and chest to pay attention. But you take some satisfaction in the fact that Shinonome didn't seem to have either. His eyes widen, surprise giving way to _pleasure_ even before he turns to face him, even before the noise that leaves his throat has ended.  
And then he laughs.  
“I'm so glad! This makes me— _so happy_! Now I know what it feels like… when a bride-to-be receives a proposal!”  
He turns away, as if unable to control his glee. You're not sure whether the sentiment is genuine or whether he's acting, and to be honest you don't really want to know.  
Kiba hasn't moved. His eyes haven't moved away from his target, and they still don't for a single second when you face him. As if his prey would fly off the moment he takes his eyes away.  
“I received information about him investigating your activities, Mr. Ibuki, so I had my contact on the lookout for him,” he explains without looking at you. “I have plenty to ask him too.”  
“About what?” Shinonome asks, voice honey. “The way the Kiba family's fortune has been funnelled into the Stride Gate System, maybe?”  
Kiba's face hardens. The contained rage reminds you of Kai, when you fought him first after years of separation.  
Or maybe it reminds you of yourself, of the years you spent poisoned by resentment and fake memories.  
“Those eyes!” Shinonome exclaims next to you. “Those beautiful eyes of yours… _that_ 's what I wanted to see, Shion.”  
Anger now, and you almost expect him to pounce, but he stays in place, still in control of himself. So different already from the boy who fell into Company's trap.  
Shinonome shifts behind you.  
“Company is a pretty comfortable place, you know? As long as you go along with Mr. Myoujin's ideals, you're free to do as you please. We're not his vassals or subordinates. A more appropriate term would be… comrades who share the same will.”  
“The same will?” Kiba asks, ripe with disbelief.  
“Well… in a manner of speaking,” Shinonome hums. “In my case, it just meant moving to a spot where I could admire what I want to see much more easily.”  
He downs his coffee, taking his time to make you _wait_ , and you want to hit him and make sure he stays down before he can threaten you or those dear to you again.  
“Today, though, I only came to deliver a message,” he pipes up as he lowers his coffee can, turning towards you. “Mr. Ibuki! This is an announcement for you! Regarding the Judgement that will be made upon you.” He bows. “A punishment has already been prepared. It will make you writhe in agony and regret your decisions and the path you've taken… from the bottom of your heart. Please look forward to it.”  
You're up and lunging at him before you've even realise, tension snapping inside you like a breaking bowstring. But he's already jumping back, anticipating all your movements _again_ , and Kiba on his side has no better luck, his well-timed assault hindered by a flying coffee can. By the time you're on your feet properly and he's defended himself, Shinonome's engine is already running.

You sit on the bench with Kiba, and the fact that he doesn't seem happier with himself than you are doesn't bring you much satisfaction.  
“I apologise,” he sighs. “If I'd held back instead of confronting him, we may have been able to capture him.”  
“It's fine. He may have had accomplices anyway. And we did learn some things about Company.”  
“Not much.”  
“No.”  
But it does tell you you're their next target. Which should probably terrify you, but all it does is soothe the worry in your heart a little. Better you than Chrono or Mamoru. And at least, you'll be ready for them now.  
… but it only reminds you of how pressing it is for you to tell everything you know. You owe Chrono the truth, and you need to give the rest of them as many weapons as you can, should something happen to you.  
“… what are you going to do now?” he asks.  
“I will continue on schedule. There's no point in scrambling around for a new plan just because they're aware of what I'm doing. I suspect Myoujin has always known anyway. He did seem unsurprised when we met him.” He looks at you, but stays silent. You continue. “A meeting is being planned with the remaining clan leaders, the day after tomorrow so we have time to finish investigating United Sanctuary Branch and so Mamoru Anjou can organise them. We'll have a better plan of attack then. With some luck, we might even be able to get part of the association on our side, although I suspect some will still be loyal to Myoujin even now.”  
He nods.  
“I'll continue investigating on my side. My contacts know Shinonome and Am Chouno's faces perfectly by now, but I'm having them keep an eye out for the other Company members we know too.”  
“Thank you. If you have any information, please contact me.” You pause, hesitant. “Have you talked to Shindou since the other day?”  
He looks at you in surprise.  
“At school, briefly. Why?”  
“I… believe he may need the support of his friends. Myoujin has made direct contact—” You realise, abruptly, that he may not know the details on your enemy's resurrection. “… Do you have a moment? I'll explain.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Chrono**

The afternoon sun makes the stone wall against your back radiate with heat, seeping into your aching back and making your vision swim.  
You don't know what to do. You're supposed to train, of course but you feel lost, aimless. What are you even supposed to make? Where are you supposed to _go_?  
What do you even do, when you realise your entire life has been a lie?  
You stare at the sky, and even it feels less vast than the uncertainty stretching in front of you.  
Your father is alive. That's what Myoujin said, what Ibuki said. But you can't make yourself feel like it's true. You can't make him feel like something real.  
He never has been.  
You don't have a single memory of him. Not his voice, not the warmth of his body. Not the small sparse moments other people seem to treasure from their early childhood.  
Your life before the orphanage is a void.  
You've tried asking Mikuru, before. But the best she's been able to give you is that he was often busy after your mother's death, and that it might be why you don't remember him much. But you don't know. You remember the people from the orphanage clearly, even if you were never close to them. And you'd been so lifeless and disconnected back then, so shocked by the accident that had, you'd been told, cost your father his life, that you'd gone almost catatonic for a while, as if you'd forgotten how to move, how to dress yourself, or even that you needed to eat. They'd had to handfeed you for a couple of weeks. And yet you remember that, even through the fog that was wrapped around your brain back then, the fog that only fully faded a few months ago as you learned to live fully again.  
So why can't you remember him?  
The man whose disappearance triggered all of this is nothing more to you than a face on a photograph.  
_And all this time..._  
All this time, he was alive. All this time, he could have gone home, or at least given you a sign he was alive.  
All this time, you could have had a father.  
_Your father wanted you to have them,_ Ibuki had said.  
Then why? Why would he care enough to give you the cards, but never give them to you himself? Why send Ibuki in his stead?  
Some way he has of protecting his family.  
And speaking of Ibuki…  
You can't understand why he stayed silent for so long. What did he ever have to gain from hiding the truth from you? He could have gotten you on board easily, without the need for so many detours, if he'd just explain what was going on fully, including your father's involvement.  
But maybe he just doesn't trust you.  
_You have no idea what I've been through._  
You wonder if he trusts anyone.

You work until evening, channelling your rage into the rock, your frustration at your father, at Ibuki who won't freaking _talk_ to you instead of jerking you around, at Kanzaki himself, for putting you through this instead of answering your questions, as if you had time to lose.  
And strangely enough, it helps. The physical work pulls at your body the way very little does; cardfighting isn't intense activity, and your days of schoolyard fighting are behind you. You've never been in any clubs, either, and you're starting to think it might actually do you good.  
As for your mind, well. Seeing your results is a lesson in humility at least.  
You look at Taiyou's Sleimy, vaguely offended that your attempts are so much worse than his, but in the end, his smile and the satisfaction of having finally _done something_ wins out.  
Until you get assaulted by one of the stupid horses again, that is.  
You walk back to Kanzaki's house. Somehow, you feel closer to him now, and it looks like he feels the same; with the darkness falling, you find yourself explaining everything, talking about Myoujin's goals and his resurrection, and in turn he tells you about his side of things. How he met him, seven years ago.  
How he summoned a unit into this reality.  
The thought brings a cold shiver to your spine, and you don't even know why.  
You try to focus on your cooking. A familiar warmth, a familiar distraction.  
“Depend cards are a testament of the contract between a fighter and a unit summoned from Cray. One who possesses them can control the units at will… but the amount of Stride Force necessary to summon them is tremendous. The fighter must truly be transcendental, or the unit will disappear before it can be fully summoned or controlled.” (You keep your eyes on the pot. Focus on the amount of bubbles, make sure it's not overboiling) “I couldn't even awaken a depend card, much less summon a unit. For the path to Cray to open, your imagination must be so strong that it whittles away at your own life.”  
You look up, finally. Next to you, Taiyou gasps.  
“It requires one to literally put their life on the line. That is what it takes to make a contract with a unit, summon it and have it obey you.”  
No wonder he died. How long had he been eating at his own life like this?  
“… do you really think nothing of that?”  
You blink.  
“Me? What are you talking about?”  
He stares at you. Once more, you get the gut-churning feeling that others know more about you than you do.  
“… when you fought me at the United Sanctuary branch, you truly summoned a unit.”  
You shudder.  
...but back then—  
“It only lasted for a moment,” he continues, “but your imagination was so strong that it transcended time and space, and made a Cray unit appear on the field.”  
(But you couldn't have…)  
“Fully materialised, I should add. I felt the impact when it hit me.”  
—you didn't yet have an awakened depend card.

He sends you on your way the next morning.  
No amount of concentrating has allowed you to summon Chrono Dran, even after spending half the night on it, but somehow you still feel better. In a weird way, it's like you've made an ally. And maybe more importantly, you have a goal now.  
_If they said they would bring Judgement upon you for your actions, they would start with the branch, your base of operations… and then the ringleaders of the plan. And then, they would turn to those who have been investigating his recent activities._  
No matter how you turn it around, both of those are going to mean Ibuki. And then Mamoru, who's been almost like a brother figure even to you and Shion even though Tokoha is the only one who's really related to him. Kamui, who helped open your world, and has supported you all this time.  
You have to warn them. You have to _protect_ them.  
No matter how hard you want to scream at Ibuki, you don't want him to get hurt. You at least understand enough to know it wouldn't be the first time.  
You have to protect them. But fighting on the same front probably won't do any good, when the enemy's already aware of what they're doing.  
No, you have to reach them from behind. Stalk the stalkers.  
And you think you know just where to start.

**Ibuki**

You're at the Dragon Empire branch helping Mamoru coordinate the counter-attack efforts and the less underground meeting organisation when Chrono calls you.  
Despite the stress, it's relief that floods you when you see his name on the caller ID.  
“Shindou? What is it?”  
“I have some info for you.”  
You could almost smile. You'd already known he was all right—your informant notified you when he got back on the train, and later reached home, and you'd gotten a short warning that he'd engaged a member of Company, but it was only to fight, and they'd run off before he could do anything. But hearing his voice now, knowing he's still reaching out to you as promised—that makes you feel safer.  
You've done the right choice, trusting him. And somehow that knowledge makes you happy.  
“I'm listening.”  
“Company's been spying on you guys—you need to up the security on the lab. We stopped them but I think they were about to summon something there too.”  
So that's what it was. You slap yourself mentally—to think he'd had to think about this before you…  
“… thank you. I'll notify everyone there.”  
“Don't mention it.” He pauses. “You be careful too.”  
You blink.  
“Anyway,” he continues, voice rougher, “I need you to do me a favour”  
“… what is it?” you finally manage to force out, busying yourself with the papers in front of you to put your mind back on track.  
“You know that kid who was with Company? Hiroki? He's the one who attacked United Sanctuary. Can you look into his background? Taiyou thinks something's up with him. There's got to be a reason Myoujin recruited a kid that young.”  
“Hiroki Moriyama?” To be fair, you'd been focusing on him the less, out of your efforts to locate the members of company. Enishi, as a branch chief, and Shinonome, for obvious reasons, had been your priority. Even though he'd been the one to attack first, you'd discounted it as the actions of an easily manipulated child, and you'd wanted to reach those pulling his strings first. But maybe you'd been wrong. You'll need to investigate him—and hear everything Chrono and Taiyou could have to say about him. “I can't get away right now… but tell me more tomorrow after the meeting.” He hums agreement disheartedly, and you hesitate before continuing. “I will… tell you everything I know about Rive Shindou at the same time, too.”  
“Okay.”  
He hangs up, and you take a deep sigh before throwing yourself back into your work.  
Tomorrow. Tomorrow, you can finally tie back all the threads you've been tangled in for so long.  
It can't come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe how long this took me.  
> Welcome to Everything Goes To Shit: The Chapter

**Chrono**

You run.  
You're not even sure where, not even sure _why_ , because what could running even accomplish, but you can't stop, can't silence the pulsing clench in your chest that twists every second with the need to _get out_.  
You can't do this. No matter where you look, the ground's being pulled from under your feet. The last ten years, a lie. Your friends, your family, keeping secrets from you. The safe haven of your home, involved after all.  
You can't lean on anything. So you run, before the ground under your feet can crumble, before you can fall along with it.  
You keep running, until the burn in your chest can cover the twisting, the black spots in your vision hide how blurred your sight has become, until the heavy pulse of your heart against your eardrums and skull drowns out the static in your ears.  
When the staggering of your breath finally makes you cough and fall out of rhythm, you collapse against a railing, face pressed to your hands.  
_She knew_. There was no way for your seemingly innocent question to get that kind of reaction from her unless she knew he was alive. She never treated it like a hypothetical question at all.  
_How long?_ How long have you been lied to? Has she known all these years? You don't _think_ so, but how can you be sure now? How much of your life has been a complete lie? When did people decide to put you in this little bubble of ignorance? When were you even going to get to know the truth about yourself?  
You start shaking, your shoulders curling in. You want to cry, tears pressing at your eyes, but no amount of pressing releases them, your eyes still painfully dry from the run.  
You feel cold. Your face burns.  
Slowly, as your breath starts to even just enough that you don't feel like you'll hack up your lungs at the first chance anymore, you slide against the railing, half-crouching, half-falling, pressing your knees forward against it and your chest against them, almost holding them as you hang on to the railing instead.  
You want to disappear.  
“Have you finally realised?”  
You turn, breath catching inside your lungs like meat on a heated pan.  
He stands in front of you, _above_ you even in his child's body, and you realise that if he tried to kill you right now, you're not sure you'd have the strength or will to fight back.  
Somehow, the feeling is strangely comforting. Like sliding deep under a hot bath, and feeling yourself and the world disappear. Like not quite existing.  
You look up at him, silent. He smiles.

The place he brings you to is filled with children. You expect the staff members to inquire about you, ask where you came from, try to contact your family. But they don't. You suspect they have orders, although you wonder if they know most of those orders are coming from the child in front of them.  
To be honest, you're not sure why you followed. You still don't trust him. But you were tired, and hurt, and your brain just couldn't, _wouldn't_ think, and you can't trust anyone else right now anyway. What difference did it make?  
And besides, what else was there to do? Go home and risk him following you? You can't put Mikuru in danger. Run? Where? Even if you managed to lose him, where would you _go_?  
So you followed. You stayed silent when he told you, all smug and self-assured, _I'll tell you the truth_ , and when he offered to show you a place to stay, you just nodded. Stood up.  
Followed.  
It's the middle of the night, now. You've been ignoring your phone all day, turning it to silent when it started ringing on the way. When you look at it, finally, there's a dozen calls from Mikuru on it, and one by Shin. A text, too, apologising and begging you to go home.  
For a second, you consider doing it. Or better yet, you could—text Ibuki right now, reveal your location. You don't know the exact address, but you do know the general area. Or you could use your phone's GPS.  
But you feel—blank, still. No matter how long you stare at the screen, you can't make yourself.  
Something shifts next to you and you jump. Another of the kids—hugging his blanket and curling up a little closer to your phone's light. Myoujin hasn't moved.  
Trying to silence your guilt, you turn the phone off.

“ _Rive_!”  
Everything is dark and everything hurts and your body feels so alien, so sluggish, your limbs barely responding as you try to crawl.  
You did something wrong. You know you did, you looked where you shouldn't have, and now… and now…  
Your fingers curl as you try to pull yourself forward, and it bites into your skin, every inch of it burning, pulsing, the sensations _too much_. You feel so weak and frail but you _have_ , you have to get back, you have to reach—  
Hands pick you up and your body gives in, your breath catching. It's warm, and tight, and you'd almost feel safe if your entire body wasn't still panicking, screaming that _everything is wrong_. You cling to the man's shirt, trying to _tell_ him, but another voice sounds again, crying in fear and betrayal.  
“Rive! What are you doing?”  
He bends down and picks up the little dragon's unconscious body. You try to reach for it, but your body wont move anymore.  
“Why are you betraying me? What do you think you're doing with the unit!”  
The man's arms tighten. He turns away, blocking the voice with his body.  
Everything is wrong.  
Everything is wrong and it's your fault.  
“I...”  
Somehow you manage to speak, but your voice is so weak, so light.  
“It's my fault...”  
“Nothing happened here, Chrono. Forget about it.”  
You shudder. Everything's going dark, but you still feel the pull of the pulsing gate behind you. The warmth of the man's body around yours. The knowledge that everything is your fault.  
“Because of me… because of me, he...”  
“You didn't do anything,” the man's voice wraps around your body, your mind. “Forget it. Forget about Cray. Forget about the units. Vanguard.”  
It hurts.  
“Forget about everything.”

You wake up to the cold, dreary light of early morning, and almost choke on your own breath.  
It takes a while for the texture of the blankets over your body to register. You stare into mid-air, trying to catch on to the images that already start slipping from you, as if thrown out of reality.  
And then you blink. Slowly come into awareness. This. This is reality. The children around you and the unfamiliar room and the childlike body of your enemy sleeping next to you.  
And you could have handed him in, but you didn't.  
You sit up, and lean forward against your knees a little.  
What time is it even? With the light showing through, it can't be earlier than six or seven, but no one else is awake… You let your cheek rest against your knee and wonder what to do.  
_I'll tell you the truth._  
Can you even trust him? For that matter, even if he does, what guarantee do you have that what he gives you isn't technically the truth, but an incomplete one? At least the rest of Company isn't here with him, as far as you're aware, at least. But that doesn't bring you that much safety.  
It might be a bubble with just you and him, but for all you know, he might still be able to summon a unit and kill you if he wants to.  
But you want the truth. Even if you have to piece it together from both sides to get the full picture. You want to know why people have been hurt. Why your father disappeared. Why your childhood had to be a lie.  
You take out your phone to check the time. Realise it's still turned off. Hesitate.  
Put it back in your pocket.  
Next to you, Myoujin moves.  
“You're—” a yawn, “already awake?”  
He actually looks like a child. It had been an obvious act yesterday, when interacting with the shelter's staff, but right now, his body still slow with sleep, he looks vulnerable enough that you could almost believe he actually is younger than you.  
“It seems this body requires too much sleep,” he sighs.  
You wish yours still did.

You help the other kids get up. Have breakfast with them. Even after years with Mikuru, the routines of your first years come back to you almost automatically. Your first memories were from a place very similar to this one, after all. Without really thinking about it, you find yourself helping the younger ones get dressed, cheering up a crying little boy. By the time they've moved on to their scheduled group activities, you feel a little better.  
“Chrono,” Myoujin—Ryuzu, he's said to call him by his name, especially here—calls to you. “Let's go out.”  
You put your jacket back on, feeling slightly off from having slept in the rest of your clothes, and apologise to the staff before heading out.  
“I'm sorry for the inconvenience… thank you for letting me stay.”  
“Don't you worry about it,” she answers. “If anything, we should be the ones to thank you. You were a great help. But try not to worry your family, all right?”  
“… I'll try. Thank you.”  
She smiles.  
“If you ever need shelter, a meal, or just someone to talk to, you will be welcome here.”  
“Thanks.”

You walk. It's aimless, although you shouldn't be surprised. Why would he trust you, after all.  
“… it seems they've completely failed,” he finally says as you walk into a station.  
“Failed?”  
“At keeping you under surveillance.”  
“… is that why we keep moving around? You think we were being followed?”  
“I know you were. But it seems we did slip through their net last night.”  
If a net there was, they were making a really bad job of it. It's not like you were trying to be subtle when you ran out of home. Still, you stay silent, waiting for him to continue. The more he talks, the more you learn, and the less you need to risk your own secrets.  
You want to make your own choices.  
“Kouji Ibuki only sees you as a weapon,” he explains, taking a seat.  
“You think it's that bad?” you answer, a bit empty.  
“His behaviour isn't a thing of the past, either. I believe he's had you followed after you went to talk to him. After you saw me.”  
You sigh. You shouldn't be surprised, really. But you'd hoped that after all this time, he'd come to trust you.  
_I'm counting on you_.  
But how far?  
At least, it answers one of your questions. If Ryuzu thinks you're at risk of being followed, of course he wouldn't lead you to anything incriminating. So much for that.  
“You sure know a lot about what I've been up to too,” you point out as the doors of the train close behind you.  
He hesitates, for a few seconds. Then:  
“I want you too.”  
There's something off about the way he says it that makes something tingle along your spine.  
Not 'your help'. Not 'your cooperation'. Not 'your power'.  
You.  
If Ibuki really does see you as a weapon, then what are you to this one? A partner? Or a possession?  
He turns towards you.  
“After all, you're the son of the man… who was my only friend.”  
(Is that what it comes down to, again? A man you don't even remember, whom everyone keeps comparing you to? Does he even know you? Or is he watching you and seeing a shadow?)  
His eyes don't move away.  
“I want… to grasp the future with you, Chrono.”

**Ibuki**

The meeting, in the end limited to branch Chiefs, Mamoru and you to avoid further leaks before action can be taken, is about to start when you get an apologetic report from one of your investigation teams.  
In a few seconds, the hopeful, tense sense of security you'd managed to hang on to starts to crumble.  
Chrono's missing.  
He reached home safely with nothing of note to mention, the report says, and you _know_ he was fine last night when he called you, he'd seemed frustrated but calm. But now he hasn't left for school, and his aunt has called out of work, apparently looking for him.  
Which means that at some point during the evening or night, something happened to make him leave home.  
You've been pathetically _stupid_. You hadn't thought Myoujin would strike this close to home, especially with your summons for a meeting including Enishi himself, keeping Company's eyes on you.  
If something happens to him, it'll be your fault.  
You're too short on time. You can't run off and investigate himself, with the meeting a few minutes away, so you angrily dial back to confirm the situation.  
“Did you find Chrono Shindou?” you ask as soon as they pick up.  
“We're terribly sorry—”  
Your teeth clench.  
“Find him at all costs. Put your entire team on it if necessary.”  
You barely wait for the confirmation to close the phone, taking a deep, tense breath as you hurry forward. The meeting comes first. But the sooner it's done, the sooner you can look for him, and hopefully with more resources too.

All the players are already there when you enter the room. Oyama, with Mamoru at his side as usual, the Chiefs from Magallanica, Zoo, your own Chief, dragged out of his neat office for once. Shinjou, standing in for Ren. The seat prepared in the eventuality of the Dark Zone Chief actually coming to the meeting remains conspicuously empty.  
In a way, you prefer it that way. Enishi's presence would have meant direct confrontation, and you're not sure you're ready for that. But organising you are good at, and that is what you plan to do today. Gather resources, coordinate the counter-attack. After that, you can leave the Chiefs themselves to lead it, while you continue your own work in relative shadow, with the friends who thankfully answered your call.  
To your relief, the atmosphere seems in your favour. For all the Magallanica Chief seems reluctant to engage in actual conflict, his attitude speaks of regret rather than refusal, and the general sentiment around the table ranges from shock to anger.  
“The data submitted seems to be undisputable,” the Star Gate Chief sighs, eyeing once more his documents.  
You take a seat, just a hint of satisfaction slipping into your chest. You'd made sure to include the results of a thorough investigation specifically for this.  
“I won't tolerate this!” the Zoo Chief butts in. “If the cute kids at my branch get steamrolled by this...”  
To your surprise, Oyama takes hold of the conversation and brings it back on track, an unusual show of seriousness.  
“Where is the United Sanctuary Chief?”  
“He is abroad,” Shinjou answers. “Carrying out an investigation on this very matter. He asked me to act as proxy today.”  
And a miracle it is, in its own way, that he wasn't harmed in the attack on United Sanctuary itself. Although if he'd been present, maybe he could have stopped Moriyama.  
“And as for the Dark Zone Chief?”  
“He's still nowhere to be found,” Mamoru confirms.  
A cold silence falls, the reality of treason settling on all their shoulders.  
“… in this case,” Oyama finally declares, “let's begin the meeting.”  
“Before we start with the scheduled subjects, though,” the Star Gate Chief says, “I have a question for you, Ibuki.”  
You keep your gaze level.  
“I will answer however I can.”  
“There is no question as to the veracity of your data or your claims… but I'd like to understand how you became involved in this to begin with. You've collected a lot of information in very little time, and seem to have a fair amount of logistics under your control. Exactly how much has been going on behind the scenes?”  
You sigh. Of course you would have to explain this someday.  
“… Ibuki, I think this is a valid question,” Mamoru prompts gently.  
You nod.  
“I apologise for keeping this a secret until now. I was trying to undermine Myoujin's plans without causing him to hasten his schedule by revealing my hand. And even now, it seems I have still been moving too slow.” You sigh. “… two years ago, as I was travelling, I came upon information regarding Myoujin's plans and goals. I am not at liberty to reveal their identity, but my informant encouraged me to investigate myself, and make my own idea of the situation. And I did.” You pause, taking the time to gauge their reactions. “What I found was worse than I had imagined. Rather than focus his efforts on re-opening the gate with a single test subject's power, Myoujin was somehow harvesting Stride Force from fighters at large. When I looked further into it, I realised Kanzaki, then Chief of United Sanctuary, was being used to conduct a large scale experiment involving all the fighters at his Branch, to use their Stride Force to awaken one of the cards capable of summoning a unit—the same cards that were used to destroy the Branch a few days ago. I gathered what evidence I had and talked to a select few within the association to be assigned to the Branch and monitor what was going on, hoping to make Myoujin reveal himself if I threw off his plans at the right time.”  
“But that didn't work...” the Zoo Branch supplies.  
“It both did and didn't. He did not reveal himself outright, but the G quest's launch did give us an opening. It was obvious that such a concentration of fighting ability was meant to fuel his experiments more. To uncover his location, I decided to play his game, and gathered several allies who could help me—including, of course, Chief Suzugamori, who had taken over Kanzaki's technology to use as a tracking device until it was destroyed, but also Christopher Lo, who, as you know, was behind the FICA system in the first place, and was invested in uncovering how and why his work had been exploited for harmful purposes.”  
“Why not cancel the G quest altogether?” the Zoo Chief exclaims, glaring at both you and Shinjou. “Why let him use the Stride Force of so many people knowingly?”  
Next to you, Mamoru flinches, but you make yourself stay impassive.  
“Doing so would have revealed our own plans, and let him know that we were aware of his own. Furthermore, we would have had to inform all of you. Which made him more likely to go further into hiding and conduct his experiments differently, where we may never find him until it was too late, but also meant taking a great risk… a fear which, as you can see, was in fact justified,” you finish, nodding towards Enishi's empty seat.  
“I still can't believe it,” the Magallanica Chief whines. “First Myoujin, now Enishi… why betray us like this...”  
“… I'm afraid to say,” you sigh, “but it seems this may have been the very goals Myoujin had in creating the Association in the first place.”  
A concert of gasps and frowns. The Star Gate Chief turns to you, eyes hard.  
“What do you—”  
A knock on the door.  
“Chief! It's urgent!”  
You turn to look at each other.  
“Come in!” Oyama calls, letting a clearly panicked staff member come into the room.  
“Mr. Enishi—the Dark Zone Branch Chief—is in the lobby.”

**Chrono**

He takes you to an aquarium. At this time of the day, the only people there are young kids with their mothers, the kids pressing close to the glass as the adults hang back to chat quietly. It's surprisingly easy, you realise, to isolate yourself here. All you need is to keep an eye on the door to this room.  
And none of the kids are going to care about your conversation, from their giggly murmurs.  
He's calculated well.  
You lean against the railing.  
“So. What's that 'true future' you speak of. What's your actual goal?”  
“To stride, in Vanguard, is to grab a possible future and make it reality. I'm trying to do the same thing for this world. There are a multitude of possibilities for the future of this world. I merely wish to grasp the best possible one… and make it come true.”  
_Grasp the future._ Of all things, you didn't expect your own words to come back for you in this context.  
“.. Why do you think our ancestors abandoned the sea and reached for land?”  
You stay silent. That kind of philosophical debate's never been your thing, and you don't want to be led into saying things before you get the full picture.  
“They probably saw something beyond their world, where they couldn't even breathe, that was worth reaching for,” he continues. “A future to put their hopes in.” He pauses. “Don't you think the world has strayed far from the shining frontier they saw in their dreams?”  
“What's that supposed to mean?”  
He smiles. Quietly nods you to a different part of the room.  
“The world is so imperfect, Chrono. Filled with sorrow, pain, war. We've all experienced it. You… your friends… even I. All human beings do. We all feel that pain, and yet… despite all being the same in that regard, we still can't come together as one. Even though it should be such a simple thing...”  
You watch him in silence.  
Of course you've known pain. Everyone has, and you don't see how any future will eliminate that.  
And yet…  
_You have no idea what I've been through._  
And yet, you can see why people's inability to understand each other would hurt. It reminds you of every time you've stayed silent and brought Mikuru painkillers when overwork gave her headaches. Of staring at Shion's retreating back after he assures you he will be fine on his own, and see the trace of bruises badly hidden under his hair the next day.  
But what future can striding even bring if people don't just _talk_?  
“I just want everyone to smile,” Ryuzu says.  
You remember Taiyou, his eyes blank and his hair white, Luna, talking in hushed tones about someone she likes, Tokoha, crumbling under the weight of the expectations she put on herself, looking up at a brother who never saw her as anything less, Shion, wearing a coat too big and a face too hard, Ibuki, eyes wide and fists clenched in fear above you as the world stops spinning and the tire noises stop.  
So do you.

You watch the group of children run out of the room, calling for each other in barely hushed giggles. One of them has a slight limp. She runs after the others anyway, just a step behind, her face tight with a layer of concentration but still alight with eagerness.  
You don't remember playing at the orphanage. You don't remember playing much in general.  
You've always had more pressing priorities, as soon as the fog on your mind had lifted enough for you to grasp your situation fully.  
You sit, and watch the blue-lit wall of water, stretching away and up, and wonder what it would have been like, if Mikuru had had the time, and you the desire, to come here together.  
You sigh.  
“What are you getting at?”  
He stays silent, watching the water. Then, he turns to you, smiling with eerie assurance.  
“The Stride Gate will bring us a new future.”  
You look up.  
“Huh?”  
“Just as Striding brings forth a unit's possible future, I will bring this world the future it deserves. A future without war. Without hatred. Can you imagine it, Chrono? Instead of all this strife, a world where things will be resolved by logic, truth, and dialog. Just like a vanguard fight.”  
_A fight reveals everything about a person._  
A world where you could actually know people's hearts, meet people's hearts, the way you try to reach them through your fights.  
“… can you really do it?”  
“The power of imagination is infinite,” he says, and something about the way he says it catches at you, pulls you in. As if he's reaching towards your own heart. He smiles. “I'm sure you of all people know that.”  
_It only lasted for a moment,but your imagination was so strong that it transcended time and space, and made a Cray unit appear on the field._  
So he knew. Was this why he was so intent on having you join him, rather than eliminate you?  
… was this why _Ibuki_ had been leading and training you from the shadows?  
Are you, in the end, nothing more than a weapon in everyone's schemes? Has it been your nature all along?  
“With your help, we can put an end to this era of pain, Chrono.”  
And maybe you should. Maybe this is your destiny after all. But you can't… you can't make yourself take away a unit's free will. You can't hurt them like this. To you, they're more than abstract monsters on a far-away planet.  
And besides—  
“… but you destroyed Shion's family,” you say, still trying to reconcile the things you know with the things he's telling you. “You involved Rummy Labyrinth!”  
It doesn't make _sense_.  
Why bring Am and Luna into this? Why involve _Hiroki_ , who can't be more than 12?  
If his goal is protecting children's futures, then why take the risk of ruining them. Why—  
“… my old man too… because he disappeared, Mikuru's gone through so much,” you say, rage starting to course through you at the memory, and you're not sure _which_ of them you're mad at, him or Ryuzu. “ _All this time_ , she's been going through so much. And me too...” What smile has either of them protected? “It makes no freaking sense! If you say you're trying to make everybody happy, then why are you tormenting everyone?”  
He flinches. Not at Shion, not at your friends, not even at _you_ , but at your father's mention. And that brings yet another shiver to your spine, of anger this time.  
He looks down. And somehow, for the first time since he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes earlier, he actually looks like a troubled, vulnerable child.  
_What did he do to him?_ What did they do to _each other_?  
And why, you can't help but ask yourself as his lips tighten, as if the void of your thoughts could give you an answer, why did your father work with Ryuzu in the first place? What was he seeking, that he would have sacrificed others for it?  
“Even now...” Ryuzu says, quietly, “I still don't know why Rive betrayed me.”  
_That makes two of us_ , you think, but the genuine pain in his voice takes you by surprise. Vulnerability. _Loss.  
At least you have something to miss. At least you remember_.  
“… it's my fault that your childhood was unhappy. I will take the blame for that, and I would apologise as many times as I need to.” He looks back up at you, then, and his eyes are an adult's this time. “But I have no regrets.”  
You feel small.  
“Sacrifices are necessary,” he states, and you feel a small part of you break away. “I paid the price for my goals with my own life, Chrono.”  
But there he is, standing before you. And your father, who didn't die, isn't.  
Which one, you wonder, has sacrificed the most? And how much more must _you_ surrender? To stop Ryuzu? To help him?  
“Some do not have the courage to pay the cost,” he says, as if reading your thoughts. “However… Chrono, you are different from your father.”  
It's not like you ever had the chance to emulate him, you think, but his next words take you by surprise.  
“I always thought that Rive had a special power… but I was wrong.” He turns towards you again, once more holding you in place with intent. “I started suspecting it after the data from your involvement in the preliminary experiments at United Sanctuary branch arrived, so I used the G quest to confirm it. Chrono...” he extends his hand towards you, every inch the man who confronted you at the lab before giving himself to the flames, “ _you_ are the singularity.”  
“… singularity?”  
“The one who first opened the gate and created the path connecting Cray and this world… that was you, Chrono.”  
_The gate!_ a panicked voice echoes through your head, bringing a sudden wave of dizziness in its wake.  
“H-huh?”  
You take a step backward, lose your balance, catch yourself with a second one.  
“What… what are you...”  
(A voice calling your name, young and bright, the feeling of being _pulled_ , sudden pain tearing your body apart)  
“ _I'm_ —”  
(It's all your fault)  
“ _I did_ —”  
(Explosions and darkness, and pain that shoots through your head now, because everything feels wrong)  
And it still does, your skin burning, a feverish shiver running up your nape, down your arms as your head pulses, and you do stumble this time, your legs giving way as you all but curl into a ball.  
_It's me_ , something in your heart that had always hoped to forget whispers. _I'm the door._  
And then.  
_It's all my fault_.  
He towers over you, reaching down, the edges of his fingers blurry in your peripheral vision.  
“Chrono,” he coos. “Don't you want to offer a true future… to the people who are dear to you?”

**Ibuki**

Before you even reach the main lobby, Mamoru's sent staff members running with orders to evacuate, without causing unnecessary panic. It's in moments like these, where his cool head weaves together plans and responsibilities despite his emotions, where his priority is bystanders, that you remember why you were never meant to be Branch Chief, and probably not even Clan Leader.  
That even Ren had been better at the role than you is only further testament to the fact. You find yourself infinitely grateful to him for taking the task from your shoulders.  
(And besides, if that branch had still been yours, who knows how much worse their attack would have been?)  
Enishi's group is already waiting for you when you arrive. Only three of them: Enishi himself, but flanked on both sides by Rummy Labyrinth. With Kiba's information, you recognise Am Chouno's face instantly under the disguise, although Luna Yumizuki remains unusually stiff.  
You frown. What little you'd seen of the girl indicated a fidgety, emotional disposition; for her to stand so still now, you'd expect her to be either angry or terrified, but you don't feel either emanating from her.  
Chouno, however, seems relaxed despite Enishi's nervous clenched jaw, and you instantly mark her as the biggest threat.  
Mamoru steps forward, catching up to your level. You tense, but don't order him back.  
“Kouji Ibuki,” Chouno drawls. “Mamoru Anjou,” and your shoulders go cold. Is she singling him out for not being a branch leader? Or do they know, in the end, more than you wanted to let them? “Esteemed Branch Chiefs who have gathered here.”  
You don't allow yourself to relax. What little relief you feel is wasted in the face of what's coming, you know.  
She smiles.  
“We are here to decide your fate.”  
You have to beat them. If you can, maybe you can still salvage the situation. Maybe your delay can actually have positive consequences, rather than being a lethal mistake.  
“We're going to make you realise how foolish you all are for defying the Association you belong to,” Chouno adds with a bow.  
Next to you, Mamoru tenses in anger.  
“Defying the Association? The Association's role is to spread happiness through the enjoyment of Vanguard… Tell me, which one of us has betrayed that ideal!?”  
Your fists tighten.  
“Anjou—” you try to warn him, but he's already reached for his deck.  
“If this is a trial, then I will be our representative.”  
And just like that, he's in the line of fire again, when you'd tried so hard to remove him from it.  
You're a failure.  
He steps forward, and Chouno smiles, but before she can take her own deck out, Enishi has finally moved, walking past her and facing Mamoru.  
“In that case, before these young ladies deliver their judgement… allow me to fight him.”

From the very start, you can sense an edge to Mamoru that you've never seen before, anger burning as hot as the fire that defines his clan. He's always been commanding in fights, driving the pressure on his opponents almost mercilessly, but today he's _aggressive_ , both in his fighting and in the texture of his voice. In no time, the damage piles up on both sides, before they've even reached grade 3.  
This is the true nature of Kagero, you think as you watch him stride Mustafa, watch the flames envelop him. Blazing feelings sleeping under calm faces. Kai's almost frigid, icy mask. Mamoru's gentle smiles. Unleash them in battle, and the fire stokes itself, consumes all in their path.  
And once they're started, it feeds them, feeds on itself, their feelings pushing them deeper just as their retiring skills only stokes the blaze. A cycle that doesn't stop. A fire that they themselves can't stop, driving them forward with implacable passion.  
You were a fool to let him get involved at all.  
Enishi doesn't guard. You're not sure whether it's manipulation or confidence.  
“Enishi!” Mamoru says, his voice burning as he uncovers a critical trigger. “Why would you support Myoujin? You're a member of this association too! Our role is to protect everyone's smiles through our Vanguard!”  
He guards, this time, and starts counter-attacking without bothering to answer Mamoru's question, striding and filling his ranks.  
You'd expected some kind of new strategy from the elusive Leader of Dark Irregulars, but he's classical in his approach, academic, almost. It puts you on edge. It seems almost too easy, too _regular_ , coming from a member of Company, and a Clan Leader, no less. Does he have a trick up his sleeve?  
Or is he just so convinced of his own righteousness and of this so-called Judgement to count on victory regardless?  
“Mr. Myoujin's ideal hasn't changed at all since he founded the Association,” he finally says, confirming your suspicions. 'Using the power of Vanguard to spread happiness through the world.' That is what we are doing… and my only purpose as well. We will shine a righteous light upon the future of this murky world.”  
He attacks, and Mamoru lets is through.  
“Through the future Mr. Myoujin will bring to us through the Stride Gate, people's hatred will dissolve. They will forget war, and instead we will move into an age in which everything is decided through reasoning and gentle dialog.”  
He attacks.  
“Darkness activated.”  
A new trick, then. But even that seems predictable, compared to some of the skills you've seen displayed during the G quest. You watch him build up his attack, somewhat comforted by the cards you've seen in Mamoru's hand.  
“I will bring a peaceful future to everyone,” he says. “That is my wish, and mine alone.”  
Mamoru blocks the attack, only to be met with a double critical.  
“You can keep this age of thoughtlessness,” Enishi proclaims, concentrating his power on his remaining rear-guard. “When our new era comes, you'll finally understand.”  
His skill seals Mamoru's grade 0 guards. But there are, of course, other ways to defend against such an attack, even without a perfect guard. And Mamoru's new G guardian rises to your expectations, as ruthless in shutting down Enishi's offensive as Mamoru himself had been in his attack.  
For a short moment, the aborted offense hangs in the air, Mamoru's tense shoulders firmly planted as Enishi slumps slightly. And then—  
“Is _this_ really your excuse for betraying the Association's ideals?”  
He strides. Decimates Enishi's formation within seconds.  
“If you really believed what you were doing was right,” he seethes, “you would have done it openly!”  
You wince. Immediately, you catch yourself, casting a quick glance around you to check whether anyone had caught it, but to your relief, even Chouno's attention seems focused on the fight.  
As for Yumizuki, she still hasn't moved.  
“You used the strength of the fighters who gathered at the Association, without telling them the truth!” Mamoru continues, and once more you feel something inside you sink.  
_What have I been doing?_  
“The very man who founded the Association has tarnished its ideals!” He attacks. “If Vanguard really is just and impartial, then no actions taken behind the scenes to use it must be tolerated!”  
“No wish can come true without paying a cost!” Enishi counters as he guards.  
Mamoru's hands tighten in anger.  
“A perfect future will come,” Enishi countinues. “A perfect future that will continue unto eternity. And when it comes… it will prove that all sacrifices were worth it.”  
You watch Mamoru shake, clenching his teeth before looking back up, blazing.  
“Shut up with your nonsense!”  
Enishi falters, then. Almost imperceptibly, but you see something cut short in the way he'd been pressing forward to meet Mamoru's attacks until now.  
“Taiten attacks your vanguard! Its blaze skills grants it an extra critical!” You look back up at Mamoru. “A 'cost'? What cost are you talking about? Isn't protecting children's smiles an adult's duty!? The moment you tainted Vanguard and its fighters' hearts with your scheming, your words stopped being worth listening to!”  
Enishi takes a step back. Assesses his situation, the power coming his way. Grits his teeth and declares no guard.  
“Do you really think the people you claim to protect can be proud of a future you grasped with such filthy hands!?”  
Something in Enishi's eyes breaks.  
The attack connects.  
And just like that, it's over.

You stop yourself from sighing in relief.  
“It seems Judgement has been passed,” you tell him.  
He stays frozen, eyes downcast, his damage card still held in his hand. As if he can't bring himself to set it down and let the accumulated damage speak his loss to the world.  
_If Vanguard truly is the battlefield you intend to fight on_ , you think, _then we'll be tougher opponents than you think._  
You're about to call out to him when Chouno takes a step forward.  
“Are you done?”  
He turns, breathing in in shock, and you catch a small smile on her face.  
Something laced with both gratefulness and pity.  
“… thanks,” she murmurs, before stepping forward and past him to the fighting table.  
You don't hesitate.  
“I'll do it.”  
It's your last chance. If they won't accept Enishi's loss, then maybe crushing them despite a disadvantageous clan matchup will do the trick. If it doesn't, well… if they're determined to fight dirty, nothing you do or can't do will change it. And you're running out of time, with Chrono still god knows where.  
You have to try.  
She nods, meeting your eyes, and you wait for her to hand Enishi his cards back before putting down your deck, Neon Messiah resting in front of you like a talisman.  
You stand. She takes the first turn, and you follow her to grade 1, riding Asleep Messiah and attacking straight away.  
She stands.  
Next to her, Yumizuki steps forward, quiet and serene.  
It's only then that you catch sight of her eyes, and the pieces click in your mind in a horrifying second.  
Chouno wasn't their trump card after all.  
She reaches inside Chouno's pocket. Your muscles buzz, your heart light.  
“Ride.”  
She holds out the still-grey Depend Card, and the very fabric of space tears, air rushing out of nowhere, pent up energy exploding in all directions. You shiver, too shocked to move.  
A gust of wind lashes at your face, almost blinding you, and you brace against it with your arm.  
“Zodiac Time Beast,” Yumizuki recites, eerily light. “Chronobeat Buffalo.”  
And the world explodes.

You only get a few seconds. You're still blinking out the flash of light that came with the unit's summon, and it's already there, towering above you, _solid_. It hums, its limbs pulling back, and for a second you feel so _small_ , locked in place by your own fear and awe, and all you can see is—Faterider, months ago, almost blinking into existence—Chrono, his image so strong that even from his side of the GIRS-less, makeshift table, you can feel the attack coming—Chronojet, carrying Chrono's image to you in a shockwave, their bodies almost superimposed—the shock, cutting into you, missing you only thanks to your chest plate—  
The cut—  
_Shit_.  
You brace almost too late. Chronobeat Buffalo's fist connects with your arm, jamming it into your ribs hard enough for the crack to resonate through you even through the impact. You're flying, the air knocked out of you, head ringing. And before you can try to prepare for a rolling landing, your back hits something, hard angles biting into your back as your head slams against it, a wheeze of pain the last thing you feel.  
You black out.  
It's only a few seconds, you think, because _you're not dead_ , and when you open your eyes the world is still coming apart around you, debris falling as the lights flicker and die.  
You try to move.  
Your chest bursts with pain, and you gasp, air finally coming back to your lungs in a raspy heave. You cough, try to move again. Your legs won't answer.  
You hear screams.  
_Move._  
The ground shakes. Next to you, another piece of debris falls, almost pinning down your arm.  
_Move!_  
Clenching your teeth with all the energy left in your body, you manage to close your fist. Drive your nails into your palm.  
_Move, damnit!_  
In the distance, you hear Mamoru's voice.  
“ _Tokoha!_ ”  
Your eyes blink open, but you're too late, too late. Before you can even more your arm, you feel another impact, hear Mamoru's choked cry.  
You shake.  
_No_.  
With the strength of desperation, you push yourself to your side, roll to your stomach with a cry.  
_Get up_.  
A few meters away from you, Tokoha's anguished voice rises, her calls for her brother increasingly desperate.  
_Mamoru..._  
You were supposed to protect him. He was supposed to be _safe_ , you'd promised yourself you'd keep him safe, and now…  
_Get up!_  
You push yourself up, voice torn between a sob and a yell of rage. On the edge of your blurred vision, Chronobeat Buffalo stalks close again, arm raised.  
_Too late._  
And disappears.

Tokoha Anjou's cries cover your own sobs, and it's only when she grows quiet that you let yourself break, driving your working fist into stone with all the fear and frustration and loss churning inside your body.  
_You failed_.  
You sob again, your throat raw, and cradle your bleeding hand to your chest.

**Chrono**

The air outside is surprisingly cold, but to your surprise, it makes you feel slightly better.  
Your head's been hurting ever since your conversation in the aquarium. It's been a few hours, now, and a quick snack he insisted on buying for you, but the ache hasn't left you, as if the fog at the front of your head was vibrating still, shutting down your thoughts and grinding at your brain.  
You sigh. After you all but collapsed, Ryuzu dropped the subject, consoling you and helping you sit. And he's kept his mouth shut about it since, only walking you around after you recovered, as the sun was already starting to set. But you know he isn't really done.  
His phone rings.  
“If you'll excuse me,” he says.  
You sit down again, pressing the can you just bought to your forehead. The night feels empty, lonely, and your head too full. You want to sleep.  
But where are you even going to go? What are you supposed to do? Go back home? You haven't even decided what to do with yourself, which side to surrender your strength to.  
“Understood. I'll let you deal with the rest.”  
He turns back towards you, and you let the can drop to your side.  
“I'm sure you'll need a little more time to think,” he says. “I will wait for you tomorrow. In this place, at this same time.”  
“You think I'll come?” you ask, unsure which answer you'd rather hear.  
But he doesn't answer.

You don't go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Please feel free to scream at me, it feeds me~~  
>  Also I still appreciate feedback and theories!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for slight potential suicidal themes in this chapter

**Ibuki**

You wake up to darkness and faint, throbbing pain, your thoughts and body an undistinguishable pile of mush. You blink. It's hard, your eyelids dry and heavy, but when you finally open your eyes properly, the room you're in is still almost completely dark.  
You try to roll to your side, and wince as you feel something bite into your arm.  
You stop. Reach for it with your other hand. Trace with your fingers—something hard, biting into your skin, and a tube leading away from it.  
An IV.  
 _The hospital..._  
You wince, and try to gather your thoughts. You'd been awake still when they loaded you into the ambulance, winded with pain but conscious. They'd checked your head, your eyes, had locked your arm into a makeshift splint, and shot something into your other arm—painkillers, you realise now. No doubt they were the reason you'd passed out so quickly, when you'd been so on edge a minute before.  
You and Tokoha Anjou had been the last to be pulled into the ambulance. Mamoru, of course, had been their priority, closely followed by the Branch Chiefs. A second ambulance, had come, then a third, rushing them to the hospital as the paramedics examined the both of you, bringing her along for a full checkup. By then, the both of you had had all the time needed to make yourselves sick with worry, especially when they refused to disclose any information about Mamoru's status.  
 _At least he's not dead._  
You're not sure what you would have done if he was.  
You grit your teeth, try to focus through the fog taking up the front of your brain.  
 _Think_.   
You need to—to fix things—to make sure it doesn't get worse—you need—  
The realisation hits like a wave of nausea.  
 _Chrono._  
It's already the middle of the night. You don't know if he's been found, if he's okay, if Myoujin attacked him while Enishi and Rummy Labyrinth attacked you. If _Shinonome_ got to him, because you haven't seen _him_ , and you doubt he would have missed an occasion to gloat at your demise.  
He could be in danger _right now_ , needing your help right now, and here you are, lying in a hospital bed with what you're sure is a broken arm because you once more stupidly, foolishly underestimated your opponent.  
 _I was… I was supposed to talk to him_ today!  
And now it's yet another promise broken.   
You need your phone.  
You reach for it with your good arm, mindless of the IV in it, but you've already been changed into a hospital gown. Your breath shakes.  
 _Where are my clothes—_  
You sit up, crying out in pain as you do, and look around frantically, trying to see them through the barely discernible darkness. But none of the shapes around you make sense, the light too low for even your white coat to show.  
You panic.  
Someone pulls a curtain back, letting a hint of light into your enclosed space.  
“Mr. Ibuki!” the nurse calls out in a quiet voice. “Mr. Ibuki, calm down!”  
“My—” Your throat is dry, raw. You try to swallow some saliva and continue, the words heavy and choppy on your tongue. “I need… my phone… where's my phone?”  
“You need to sleep! This is no hour to be calling people.”  
“I—I need it—it's important!”  
“Mr. Ibuki, please calm down. You'll hurt yourself. And you don't want to wake everyone else, do you?”  
You want to scream. But fighting with hospital staff is likely to have you sedated by force, and you can't afford that kind of delay.  
You bite your lip and swallow down your panic, your heart still palpitating madly.  
“I will not call anyone… I just need to check my emails...” You gasp, look up at her with the most serious look you can muster. “Please, someone's safety is at stake.”  
She stares back at you, frowning. And then, after a few moments of tense silent confrontation, she sighs.  
“Unfortunately, I don't know where it is. The contents of your pockets were put in a box for safekeeping, but I don't remember seeing a phone. You may have lost it during the accident.”  
A sob breaks out of your throat.  
“… Mr. Ibuki, your heart rate is much too high. You need to rest. I can arrange for you to call whoever you need to in the morning.”   
She takes a few steps forward and grabs your shoulders, gently but firmly pushing you down. You shudder at the contact, the urge to push her away almost overpowering, but your limbs won't listen, your head pulsing even harder.  
“Rest,” she says, and she gives you another stern look before heading out, not bothering to close the curtain.  
You lie on your hospital bed, and try with every scrap of energy you have left to fight the panic spreading through your body.  
He could still be safe, you tell yourself. Maybe your team found him while you were unconscious. Maybe he went home.  
 _And maybe he didn't._  
You press your good hand to your eyes, and let the sobs caught in your chest come, breaking out of your throat helplessly.  
This is all your fault.

When the nurse returns to fiddle with your IV, she takes one look at you and decides not to try to talk to you anymore.  
A few minutes later, you're blacking out again.

**Chrono**

You wake up to a back ache and filtered sunlight, the remains of shivers still brushing the back of your neck.  
 _… oh._  
The playground. It had seemed like the best idea at the time, and to be fair, you're not dead or under the eye of a well-meaning police officer, so all things said, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.   
You're only cold, aching, dirty and a little stiff, but that's nothing a hot shower can't fix.   
Whenever you can get one of those, anyway.  
You sigh. At the institution, you'd at least had a bed, and a chance to wash yourself. Maybe running into Ryuzu had been lucky after all, or where else would you have gone after you ran away? Another night in the park, probably.  
But you can't keep doing this. You can't keep running away.  
One way or another, you're going to have to choose.  
You sit up. Outside the structure you slept in, the sun is already shining bright. Not enough to really warm up the chilly spring morning air, but enough to make you blink when you look outside.  
You've overslept. Any time now, the first wave of little kids could show up to play, and _that_ would get you in trouble if you still look like you slept here. You need to get out before they do.  
Groaning, you lean on one hand to swing your legs around, and crawl out of your hiding place.  
The light hits your eyes and makes you wince a little. At least the pulsing headache that had almost driven you to insomnia is finally gone, but your head still feels stuffy, sensitive. And the stiffness in your neck isn't helping.  
You stand, stretch, try to work some life into your muscles. It works, somewhat.  
 _What time is it..._  
You pull out your phone, only to remember it's turned off. And _that_ is something you're not looking forward to dealing with.  
But it's not like you can put it off. You'll have to face it sooner or later. Might as well take your responsibilities now.  
You dust off your clothes and drag yourself to a swing to sit on it.  
The playground is still quiet. For a moment, you let yourself enjoy that, just idly hanging above the ground, taking in the air, the muted city sounds and the gap between your feet and the ground.  
 _Come on._  
You wince, sit up, and reach for your phone again, turning it on.

Immediately, a cascade of notifications pop up, from what looks like twenty missed calls to almost as many texts and emails. You glance at the calls, not feeling ready to check the contents of your messages just yet.  
Mikuru. Ibuki. Shion and Tokoha. A last one, more recent, by Kamui.  
You stare at the screen, your stomach twisting. No matter how much you try to think about the situation, about how to _act_ , your heart and breath always pick up, your chest laced with guilt. _Fear_.   
Sadness.  
It feels like you lost them. These people, that you love, are all part of a life that may have been a dream.  
And you're not sure you can allow yourself to dream anymore.  
You turn the phone back off, stuff it into your pocket, and press your face into your hands.  
 _What am I going to do?_  
You stay like that, trying to get your mind into order, until a small voice calls out to you.  
“Mister?”  
You blink, letting your hands fall, and look down at the little girl standing in front of you, an even younger child hiding behind her.  
“Um, Mister, can we have the swings?”  
“Oh.” You sigh, make yourself grin. “Yeah, here you go. Sorry for hogging it.”  
You stand and she smiles back, before nudging her—friend? Sibling?—towards the second swing. You wave at them and walk off, pointedly not looking towards their guardian and listening to their voices instead.  
You wonder if you were like them, at their age. You've never really dared ask Mikuru what you were like, before the accident, and she's only talked about it rarely.  
You grit your teeth as you walk away. You want, more than anything, to protect childhoods, in the name of those who never had one.

**Ibuki**

You wake up again to the morning sun, and this time, your thoughts are—somewhat—in order.  
It still takes you a few moments to kick yourself into coherency and full wakefulness. Whatever they shot you with is still slowing down your thoughts, but at least, you don't feel quite as unstable as last night.  
It does nothing to soothe your guilt, however.  
You sigh and try to sit up, more carefully this time.  
“—ess that settles the matter of Mr. Myoujin's intentions,” a voice says.  
“We have been blind.” A louder voice, this time, the Zoo Branch Chief's unmistakable ring.  
“No, the fault lies with us as well.” Shinjou.  
Rather than awkwardly try to make yourself heard, you turn to look for a call button.

In less than two minutes, the nurse arrives. A new one, probably the morning shift.  
“How are you feeling? Isn't everything better after a good night's sleep?”  
You hold back the urge to snap that this is the worst moment for sleeping, and that with your usual amounts, it would hardly make a difference, instead straightening and putting on your most professional face.  
“I need to contact my colleagues immediately.”  
“No you don't, but you're in luck. One of them came asking for you not five minutes ago. I'll go see if they're still around.”   
You nod.  
“But first, let me push away those… unless you have a problem with that?”  
“No, go ahead.”   
You might as well check on how Shinjou and the others are doing.  
She draws back the curtains, and you look around, steeling yourself for what you'll find. Both in terms of injuries and in people's reactions.  
After all, you're the one to blame for all this.  
To your surprise, you meet mostly smiles. Tired smiles, but smiles nonetheless.  
“Ah, Ibuki!” Oyama calls out. “Glad to see you're finally awake!”  
You check the room quickly. Aside from the Magallanica Chief, everyone is awake, in varying stages of alertness. The Star Gate Chief looks closed off, but you suspect it might have to do with his usual need for a strong morning tea.  
“… my apologies,” you say as the nurse exits the room, hopefully in search of your subordinate. “I think I was sedated during the night.”  
You don't remember all of it clearly, but you do, at least, remember that you'd felt fully prepared to run out even in this state, as long as you could find the damn phone and send your team on more orders.  
No wonder they'd put you under again.  
“Rough night, eh?”  
“… I suppose you could call it that.” You pause. “… any news on Anjou's condition?”  
He darkens, although it's more stern than heartbroken. You hold back a sigh of relief.  
“He's stable. Tokoha dropped by to give us some news earlier, they wouldn't tell me when I asked,” he adds with a roll of his eyes.  
You nod.  
“Is he awake?”  
“Not last I heard. But they said he might soon.”  
“… that's a relief.”  
Silence falls. You look at your own bed, unable to think of something to say, somewhere to look.  
“How about you, Ibuki?” the Zoo Chief asks.  
“I'm fine… I was conscious and standing when the ambulance arrived. The arm is the only real damage.”  
“It's broken?”  
You nod, and push down the guilt at your almost-lie.  
“You had better reflexes than most of us,” she sighs. “A direct hit with that kind of force could easily have caused much more damage, or even be lethal.”  
“Surely they wouldn't go that far—” the Star Gate Chief gasps.  
“Who knows,” Oyama answers, his face still uncharacteristically dark.  
You're trying to find a way to lead the conversation away from you or shut it down when the nurse comes in, followed by your subordinate.  
“Mr. Ibuki, Sir!”  
“I'm fine. What's the situation?”  
“We're investigating the branch just in case. There isn't much we can find that we didn't already learn through the few kids who witnessed the incident, but I sent you a detailed email of our observations just in case.”  
You wince.  
“I don't have access to my email right now...”  
He pulls your phone out of his pocket. You almost let out a sob of relief.  
“We found it in the debris. The battery had come out, but it does turn on now it's back in—you're the only one who can get past the pin protection, though, so I turned it back off.”  
He hands it to you, and you take it with a tired smile, your eyebrows heavy with released tension.  
“Thank you. I'll check the reports and send further instructions.”  
“Yes Sir.”

You don't do any phonecalls. With so many people in the room, you don't want to be overheard, even if they're technically on your side. The thought makes you paranoid, especially after your run-in with Shinonome a few days ago. And you can't afford the kind of reaction that level of anxiety would create in you when you're dependent on the staff's goodwill to be released.  
Instead, you turn the phone on, unlock it, and go straight to check your messages.  
No news of Chrono.  
You grit your teeth. You don't have confirmation of a worst-case scenario, at least, but he could still be into Myoujin's hands. Two nights is a long time for a teenager to sleep outside, and you'd have expected him to have gone home by now if this had just been an impulsive flight.  
Chrono might be quick-spirited and emotional, but he's _reliable_ , and even-headed on the long term. His continued absence just can't be a mere flight of fancy or teenage rebellion. And that's what's worrying you the most.  
Either he's in the enemy's hands, or he is, for some reason or other, unable to go home. But why? What does he have to gain by staying out?  
Or what does he have to lose by going back?  
You wonder, frustration creeping into your shoulder, if he's trying to protect people by disappearing.  
 _Stop it with the what-ifs. Think._  
You kick yourself mentally and message the team assigned to the search, then the ones investigating the Branch.  
… and just like that, you're done. Nothing else you can do except wait. No task that would actually profit from your input.  
You're completely useless and it makes you feel _sick_.  
Jaw ringing with light pain, you lean back against your pillows, trying to force your body to rest.

Roughly an hour later, a hospital staff member arrives and hands Oyama the newspaper he'd requested. You push yourself back up, listening absently to the news.  
“A 'mysterious accident' they're calling it, huh? 'Cause unknown. Many injuries, and the building's partially destroyed'.” He sighs, putting it down. “The Branch definitely can't fulfil its role right now.”  
“At least no civilians were injured,” the Zoo Chief says.  
You disagree. None of the Chiefs had weapons, much less cards that could summon units themselves. What made them different from the people they had evacuated?  
As far as you're concerned, they're every bit as civilian as the rest.  
Myoujin had criticised you for leading, essentially, a small army into his stronghold. Where is your army now? Where was it when these people needed protection? You've left them in the line of fire of people you knew had Depend Cards in their possession.  
 _Protecting Lo_ , a less emotional part of your brain tries to point out, but it doesn't make the guilt any less.  
You hadn't thought them capable or ready to cause this kind of destruction. But Yumizuki materialised her unit fully.  
And the only other person you know who could equal that power…  
You try to push away the thought, but are saved by a nurse's entrance.  
“Mrs. Anjou has asked me to inform you that her son is conscious.”

**Chrono**

Your pockets, when you go through them, only reveal a few leftover coins. It makes you regret last night's drink, especially when you probably could've made Ryuzu buy you something (the amount of money he was carrying on him really didn't fit with his 'normal child' cover, but then, neither does the way he talks), but you'd wanted to get it yourself. Paranoia… or a visceral need to support yourself, even now.  
Or maybe especially now.  
Well, nothing to do about it now. You pool the coins together to buy the most filling snacks you can find in vending machines, and resign yourself to calling it lunch.

To your surprise, no one causes you any trouble as you wander the streets. You hadn't really thought about it yesterday, but you expected people to notice a teenager obviously skipping school. But no one stops you.   
Maybe you should have gone to a convenience store and gotten something more nutritious, then. But how were you supposed to know? It's not like you ever made a habit of skipping. It would have gotten you into trouble, and Mikuru would have had to handle it. And that was something you just couldn't accept.  
Just like, despite your complete lack of motivation to actually get involved in your schoolwork, you'd never, ever actually allowed yourself to _fail_.  
You walk, aimlessly tearing off bits of bread and bringing them to your mouth. Being out at this hour, it feels like there's a whole world you've never seen before, and now that all your senses aren't focused on Ryuzu and your mixture of curiosity and distrust, you're actually experiencing it for the first time.  
A world of the very young, and of adults. A sudden rush of transit around lunch, and then calm again, with fewer people on the streets compared to the crowds you're used to. It feels strangely light, suspended. Like the world is holding its breath.  
You wish it could stop time for real. Give you time to think. Give you time to not exist, for a little while.  
But the anonymity, at least, feels good. To these people who don't or barely look at you, you're just some kid with weird hair. At worst, they'll think you a delinquent, and that makes them even less likely to linger. If anyone recognises you, they don't say anything.  
Not Generation Master. Not Rive Shindou's son.  
Not even “that kid who beat up an upperclassman.”  
(Not even that kid who talks all weird, who won't mix with the other orphans, who tried to jump out of a window once)  
It feels empty. All those things had defined who you _are_ , you realise. You'd been empty for years, so you'd started defining yourself with Vanguard, with the friends you made. And even if you resented it the way everyone kept going back to it, your father had at least given you an identity. A name.  
But empty feels good right now. You don't feel quite as much like you're about to explode anymore.

You walk, in this world in which you're only a stranger, and for once, you _look_. At the people who look busy, those who look sad, those who look bored. A young woman with a stroller, looking yearningly at the inside of a bookshop. A boy a few years older than yourself, hands shoved into his pockets and shoulders hard with tension. A couple of businessmen talking comfortably over coffee and a laptop. An old woman, back hunched, leaning even lower to hold a small child's hand as they make their way into a shrine.   
There's something beautiful about people, you think. Shion's second of uncalculated glee that slips into his eyes and smile whenever he wins a fight or a fencing match. Tokoha's strength and determination that makes people look to her for guidance, her hum of pleasure when she bites into a croquette bun. Ibuki's laugh when taken by surprise, the way he'd walked away after telling you about Ryuzu, so happy and light that he almost seemed to float. Mikuru's genuine excitement when she visited you at the orphanage, no matter how lifeless you'd become. Taiyou's gentle encouragements to the children of United Sanctuary.  
And yet, even that happiness is shaped by pain, by loss. Crushing expectations, inferiority, toxic, repressed feelings, trauma. You can't unsee it, just like you can't ignore the emptiness in some people's eyes, the desperation in others.  
How many of the kids in that institution have lost their parents? How many have been _abandoned_ , like you. How many might as well have been, unwanted in their own homes?  
Is it really supposed to be that way? Is the world really rotten enough by nature that all this pain is _normal_ , that any happiness can only be grasped by scrambling, surviving through suffering?  
And yet, whenever you look at it, it still looks bright and alive to you.  
A pair of high school girls walk past you, talking excitedly. _This late already?_ The sun's still up, but the streets are slowly filling with a more familiar population and activity, the strange weightlessness of early afternoon replaced with the warm padding of rush hour crowds.   
You let it carry you, heart beating a little faster (so little time left, and you still don't know what to _do_ , still don't know where you'll be best used), and find yourself back at the bridge you'd collapsed on, almost exactly two days ago.  
It feels like a universe away. But soon your break from reality will have to come to a close.  
You sigh, and lean against the railing.   
You love this world. After so many years of being empty, it's given you so much, filled you with so much warmth in the last year. You want to protect it, with all of your heart.  
And yet.  
 _Don't you want to offer a true future to those who are dear to you?_  
If you could pay them back, bring smiles and love and safety to all those who've made you feel like a person, you don't care what price to pay. You'll be a weapon any day.  
But to do that—without asking—without _telling_ —just disappearing and leaving your friends behind without even letting them know why… even if it's for them, you can't make yourself do it. You can't put anyone through the same things you did, even on a smaller scale.  
You refuse to make the same mistakes as your father.  
 _Is that how an adult behaves?_  
You grit your teeth, and push yourself away from the railing.

Time to actually take your responsibilities.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ibuki**

“They really wiped the floor with us, didn't they,” Mamoru sighs when you're finally allowed to stand and visit him. “And Rummy Labyrinth is on their side, too… I don't know how to deal with this reality...”  
“I'm sorry...” You hesitate, then continue. “I had been warned that Am Chouno was likely on their side. But I didn't expect Yumizuki to be collaborating with them too. If she is doing it of her own free will, that is,” you add as her empty eyes and serene voice fill your mind again.  
“Neither did I. She's such a nice girl...” He pauses. “… I worry about Tokoha. They were her friends.”  
You stay silent, holding back a wince. One more person who shouldn't have been caught in the crossfire, whether physically or emotionally.  
You try and fail to find words to lead the conversation somewhere, anywhere. The silence stagnates, heavy in your lungs and on your skin.  
“...how are your injuries?” Mamoru finally asks.  
Of course. Of course he would ask about _you_ , when you're clearly walking just fine, the only testament to your carelessness this arm that keeps getting in your way.  
Meanwhile, Mamoru's lying in bed still, and you haven't had the courage to ask whether it's to rest or because he has no choice.  
It will become obvious on its own soon enough, anyway.  
But it only drives home how badly you've failed. Others should not be worried about you, when you were meant to protect them.  
“Compared to you, this isn't even worth calling an injury,” you sigh, raising your immobilised arm a little.  
He chuckles. You could almost be grateful.  
Seeing him smile, at least, reassures you a little.  
“That's just like you… I should have known you'd say that.”  
You try to smile back, but seeing him put on a strong face only makes you feel worse, piercing through the short-lived relief.  
He shouldn't have to be looking for the positives. He shouldn't have to put on a smiling face in front of his sister, much less you.  
You can't even look at him right now.  
“… it's all my fault. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't underestimated them. I should have anticipated their attacks… but they were ahead of me at every step...” You hold back the choking sensation rising in your throat, your eyes. “I'm sorry.”  
“Ibuki...” He sighs. “Please, that's enough.” And you can hear the smile in his voice, even now, and it _hurts_. “After all my big talk, I couldn't protect everyone either. I'm as much to blame as you are.”  
He's not. He tried his best to learn what was going on despite your efforts and misdirection. And maybe you were wrong, maybe you should have told him everything from the start. Maybe that would actually have been safer.  
But that's nothing you can fix now.

You don't go back to your room after you leave him. Instead, you retreat to the roof, as if running away could actually _fix_ anything. As if you weren't utterly powerless even if you did face things.  
But the truth is, you can't stand staring at your phone right now, can't stand the voices of your roommates constantly chatting, planning, can't stand waiting on reports that never come. It's hours into the day and Chrono still hasn't been found.  
And none of the manpower still assigned to tracking down Company has come up with anything either.  
You should be out there, organising, fighting with them. At the very least, you should be helping the Branch Chiefs, who are planning reconstruction even from their hospital beds.  
But you can't. Your shoulders feel like feathers weighed down by concrete: weak and unreliable and unforgivingly heavy. Your legs, too, despite carrying you here, up the stairs you took out of spite.  
Heavy. Weak. Useless. And tired, down to your bones, tired like someone forced to run through the night, a heavy fog spreading through your muscles and brain.  
You can't think. You can't move.  
You can't believe anymore.  
 _Please be okay… none of the rest is relevant anymore… please at least be unharmed, that's all I'm asking..._  
He's strong, you try to remind yourself. He's proven it again and again, breaking past all your expectations at every turn. You may have failed to protect him, but maybe he will still have protected himself.  
You just want to know he's safe. Anything else, any information he can give you, any counter-attack can _wait_. You want to see him safe, and make sure he _stays_ safe, and apologise to him.  
 _You should be out there looking for him_. And you know that. But you're—  
Scared.  
You dig nails into your palm.

You're so busy staring at the city and its faceless crowds that you don't hear Kamui until he's almost standing behind you.  
“Hey!”  
You turn just on time to catch the small paper bag he's throwing at you, your left arm moving out of reflex before you catch yourself and save it with the right instead.   
He grins. You look up at him, confused.  
“Your arm's broken, right? So eat this so you can heal faster.”  
You don't know why he's doing this. You've never been _close_ , your first interaction has consisted of your draining his strength away and sealing the cards he was bound to in what honestly counts as torture. Even recently, after he decided that you weren't a threat and enrolled himself into helping you instead, you've kept a safe distance from him.   
You're not sure you could honestly call yourself his friend, although you'd like to think of him as one of yours.   
So why is he here now?  
“We have tons of stuff to do,” he adds, eyes and stature determined.  
You try to nod. Fail. Just slump a little instead.  
You can't make yourself look at him either.  
“… I couldn't do anything,” you finally say, quietly. “Am I really… Do I really deserve another chance?”  
Can you really claim to be fighting anything, saving anything, when your actions are so useless?  
He stares.  
“You...”  
They should just keep going without you. It's not like you've really been any help.  
You turn away, unable to voice your thoughts, and behind you, you hear him hiss. You expect him to discard you and leave.  
Instead, he kicks you in the back, sending you stumbling forward, your hips lashing forward to keep your back straight while your knees take the weight. You gasp at the pain, shooting up your legs and down to your feet.   
The bag drops. But your broken arm doesn't take the hit.  
You breathe in through your teeth, letting the pain spread and dilute inside your body.  
“Stop it with that bullshit!” Kamui yells behind you. “You're our leader, aren't you? Quit acting so pathetic!”  
He storms off.  
You never asked to be anyone's leader.  
The wind rises, and with it, the panic in your chest. This was never what you wanted. You never aimed to have anyone follow you. More people relying on you means more people who get hurt if you _fail_ , and today is only proving that.  
Why is anyone still following you? The evidence of how badly suited you are lies everywhere in this hospital. You were never meant to be a leader.  
You wanted to do it alone. When Rive Shindou told you about Myoujin's plot, all you'd wanted was to uncover him and fight him, and let the world follow its course in blissful oblivion.  
But instead, you'd been instructed to give the cards to Chrono. _They were always meant for him_ , he'd told you, _he has a link to them_.   
And you'd given him a chance to fail, safely, flunk out of the duty of saving the world before it became a reality, so you could have taken up the flag instead.  
But he was stronger than you. Even when he couldn't yet beat you in a cardfight, in his heart and mind he was stronger than you.  
And by not being stronger than him, you failed to protect him too. You should have been good enough, the difference in your ability should have been large enough, that he wouldn't have needed to be involved.  
You took the decision to let him test his wings. And now he's flown god knows where, out of your reach.  
What would he even say now?  
 _You foist expectations on me without asking..._  
Somewhere in your chest, a little shard mellows, warms, heals.  
He's always been better at this than you, hasn't he? But somehow, the words make you feel safe, like that fragment of your core is kept warm, sheltered behind his presence.  
You didn't ask for this. But although he chewed you out, he never pulled back or hid from what had to be done.  
And neither will you.  
You have to follow his example. You owe him that much.  
Atoning can wait. For now, there's too much to do. And before anything else, you have to find him, and bring him to safety.  
You grab the bag in your good hand and stand.  
The task feels so big, still, senseless and overwhelming. But maybe you can start with little steps.  
Get back on your feet. Find Chrono.  
 _Then_ throw yourself back into the fight. With his help, if he's still willing to give it.  
 _Eat this so you can heal faster_.  
You reach into the bag. There's a beginning to everything, you guess.

**Chrono**

You take a deep breath, and knock on Shion's apartment door.  
“Yes, coming!” his voice calls out. You tighten your jaw and keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.  
He opens the door. At first, his face keeps the harmless, professional facade you've often seen him use at school or at the shop, but as soon as his eyes take you in, he gasps, eyes and mouth widening in surprise.  
The weight of every step you've taken to get here drops off your shoulders, and you could just fall forward into his arms, if the tension hadn't left guilt and apprehension in its wake.  
“Chrono! Where have you _been_ all this time?” He steps forward, his voice breathy with rare emotion. “I kept trying to get a hold of you, you haven't even been coming to _school_ —”   
You look down.  
 _Don't run now. You have to own up to it._  
“—Mikuru's been at her wits' end t—” he continues, but as you try to hold back your fear and shame, he trails off.  
You want to run away. You _need_ to talk to him, seriously.  
You honestly just want to sit down somewhere safe.   
He stays silent, watching you.  
“… anyway,” he finally says, his voice unusually gentle. “Come in. I'll get us some tea.”  
He steps aside, and you walk in, firmly pushing back the febrile urge to run. The door closes. You almost expect to hear the click of a lock.  
“Here, sit down,” he tells you as you stand in the entrance. “I'll just be a minute.”  
You nod, and snap out of your daze. Being in a home brings back familiar rituals and reflexes, as if you're back in your element. Absently, you bend down to get rid of your shoes.  
“Have you eaten anything?” Shion calls from his end of the room.  
“… I snacked a bit.”  
“… when's the last time you've had a real meal?”  
You look away.  
“… yesterday. Lunch.”  
“Wh— _Chrono_!”  
“I know.”  
He pauses. Sighs and turns back to his kitchen, filling a kettle before walking towards you.  
“I'll get us takeout, then. I think we have better things to do than cook right now.”  
Honestly, cooking sounds good right now. But this isn't your house, and you probably shouldn't stall. You nod.

He makes you tea. You sit, just letting the atmosphere of his home seep into you.  
It's not the same, of course. It's not the first time you notice that Shion's apartment doesn't feel that lived in, as if it was a base rather than a home. And back in your own house, you would have had a different tea, and your hands busy, the air slowly filling with the scent of rice, of spices. But after two days away from home, after sleeping hidden under a children's slide, the smell of tea and light noise of cutlery is wonderfully grounding.  
You feel just a little more like yourself.  
He sits opposite you, finally, and hands you a cup.  
“Careful, it's still hot.”  
You nod, and blow on the surface a little before bringing it to your lips, sipping lightly at the edge. It's hot, almost too hot, but the sensation wakes you up.  
You hadn't even realised you felt cold.  
You drink in silence. His eyes are on you, observing you from above his cup; you don't even need to look up to feel them on your skin. You can't blame him. Who knows what you've been up to in two days. Who knows if you're not right now trying to trick him.   
You notice he hasn't offered any information of his own. You can't blame him for _that_ , either.  
You'll have to take the first step.  
“… I was with Ryuzu,” you tell him quietly.  
He stiffens, but doesn't lash out or recoil. Instead, his voice stays even as he asks:  
“Why?”  
“It just happened. I freaked out and ran away. He was there and gave me a place to sleep. So I went.”  
He didn't even look surprised. So he's known he was alive.  
You wonder how fast that news has spread.  
“… have you considered that he may have been waiting for you to do just that?” he asks, more gently.  
“Yeah.” You hadn't at the time, but you have since. If he knew Ibuki had you under watch, he definitely had as much intel on your comings and goings. If not more. “But I figured… I might as well listen to what he had to say. Can't hurt to know what he's up to, y'know.”  
Your eyes are still down, but you feel him nod anyway.  
“… were you with him this entire time?”  
There's something in his voice that sounds too neutral. Like he's trying to get something out of you, or to hide something from you. Or both.  
“Only yesterday. Today I was… trying to sort my head out.”  
“So yesterday afternoon you were with him, then?”  
You nod.  
“He… he told me what he was trying to do. It's a lot to take in.”  
He stays silent. You take another sip, and push yourself to continue.  
“He… he wants to use the Zodiac Time Beasts' power to… Stride, basically. Bring the best future possible. I'm not sure _how_ , but… Maybe it's possible?” You sigh. “Apparently… apparently, my Dad used to work with him.” Your hands tighten on the cup. “And he's alive.”  
“… your father?”  
You nod, slight relief sinking into your bones. At least one person who didn't know either.  
Not about your father, anyway.  
“… how did you know Ryuzu was alive?” you finally ask him.  
“I ran into Mr. Ibuki the other day. He told me about it, and the details behind the attack on United Sanctuary Branch.”  
He says it quietly, but without hesitation. You don't think he's lying.  
You don't want to lie, either.  
“… sorry it took me so long to show up,” you say. “Truth is… I was thinking about it.”  
“… about what?”  
“His plan.”  
You expect him to yell at you. Instead, he eyes you in silence.  
Maybe he won't try to stop you after all. Maybe you'll just walk out of here and out of his life, even before you walk out of everyone's life for good. It's okay. There's no room for you being a burden on others in the future you envision.  
“I'm sorry...” you say. “I don't think you guys are wrong. And they hurt you—you can be pissed at me if you want. But if I can help make everyone smile, I...”  
“Chrono.”  
You shut up.  
He looks at you for a few more moments, silently staring, then sighs.  
“Can I ask you a question?”  
“Sure.”  
“Have you watched or read the news today at all?”  
You shake your head.  
“… then I think there's something you need to see.”

**Ibuki**

It's already sundown by the time you make your way back to your bed, and by then the Branch Chiefs are hard at work, the atmosphere noticeably lighter than it was when you left.  
“Oh, Ibuki,” your own Branch Chief calls out to you. “Your phone buzzed just a moment ago.”  
You nod your thanks and walk a little faster, dropping the rest of your fish bag and sitting on the edge of the bed to grab the phone with your good hand.  
At the top of your notifications, a short message, from one part of your team you didn't expect.  
Chrono has been sighted with Kiba at the Dragon Empire Branch.

**Chrono**

The Branch is in ruins.  
It takes you a while to really register it; you'd been too busy being on edge before that, and only Shion's promise that he wasn't trying to make you meet anyone, much less hand you in, had kept you from bolting as soon as you realised where you were going.  
But this… this looks even worse than United Sanctuary.  
The tower had looked like an omen, its front torn in two by lightning. This? This looks like a warzone.  
You'd almost expect to find bodies.  
 _When did—_  
You freeze.  
 _So yesterday afternoon you were with him, then?_  
So that's why he'd asked that. And you were—you realise with a chill—inside an isolated place where no sudden breaking news bulletins could come on the billboards, where you wouldn't hear any sirens, or hear any rumours. You'd been surrounded by fish and silence and listening to all his plans while his people destroyed one of the first places you'd been able to call home.  
His people… and your own friends, apparently. Or at least, you'd thought of Luna as a friend.  
But Luna of all people had happy memories at Dragon Empire. What could they have promised her to make her turn against it?  
You feel numb.  
“Company and Rummy Labyrinth did this?” you ask, just to confirm, even though you already know the answer. Why else would he have told you Luna was on their side as you made your way here. Why else would he have brought you here in the first place?  
“Yes. That was the 'punishment' they meted out.” He turns towards you slightly, as if judging your reaction. “Mamoru… All the Branch Chiefs… and Mr. Ibuki are all in the hospital.”  
Your lungs go cold.  
You gasp and turn to him, but his eyes are hard. He's saying the truth.   
_Don't you want to offer a true future to the people who are dear to you?_  
Rage rises in you, creeping up your skin and clenching your teeth, your fists. What future? What smiles?  
How could you have been so _stupid_?  
“… how bad is it?”  
“Mamoru is immobilised in bed; Tokoha said he's not even allowed to sit up for now. The other Branch Chiefs are all in bed, but there doesn't seem to be lasting damage: just some heavy bruising, and a concussion on the Dragon Empire Chief—they said he'd be fine, though.”  
You nod. _At least they're not dead_ , your brain supplies, and you hate yourself for even having thought about it.  
“… and Ibuki?”  
“His arm is broken; I sweet talked the Chiefs to try and learn more, and they think there might have been something with his head, but he's been walking around.” He shakes his head. “Tokoha said he caught the blow with his arm.”  
Wait.  
“… what blow?”  
He eyes you.  
“… what do you think happened, Chrono?”  
“But last time—Taiyou said the unit was transparent—it called _energy_ but it couldn't have hit _people_ —”  
You trail off.  
 _Oh hell no..._  
“… the unit Luna summoned was solid, Chrono. It tore the place down with its fists.” He pauses, then adds: “Tokoha tried to play it off, but… I think it could have killed her. Mamoru got hit protecting her.”  
You feel sick.   
_Sacrifices are necessary._  
It was all in plain view. United Sanctuary had never been a warning.  
It was a declaration of war.  
And you'd almost let what could have been their most powerful weapon fall into their hands, while your friends were being hurt.  
How long would it have taken for him to use you to kill?  
“Is… is Tokoha all right?”  
“… just a few bruises,” he says, his voice easing back to gentle. “But it really took its toll on her. She saw the whole thing.”  
“I'm sorry...”  
He shakes his head.  
“You're here now.”  
You nod.  
“Yeah. I—”   
You want to fight them. You _need_ to fight them, to stop them in their tracks before they hurt anyone else. Ryuzu won't stop at anything to achieve his goals, you know that now. And someone… someone has to stop them.  
And if Ibuki's in the hospital, it'll have to be you.  
“… I'll go fight him.”  
“ _What!?_ ”  
“He gave me a meeting place—if I wanted to join him, but like hell I'm gonna do _that_. But if I can beat him—maybe we stand a chance at stopping him. If he really thinks Vanguard is about destiny, then...”  
For a moment, he watches you in silence. You wish he'd stop doing that; you've had enough of being observed, dissected, analysed. But you can't blame him right now. After all, you almost joined the man who hurt so many people.  
“… all right. But I'm not letting you go alone.”  
“Huh?”  
“We have no guarantee _he_ 'll be alone, right? Or that he'll take it well if you don't join him straight away. So I'll be there with some backup. If things go south, we'll jump in.”  
You take a moment to consider it. It makes sense. More sense than your anger-fuelled plan, anyway.  
“All right.”  
“How long until you're supposed to meet him?”  
You check your phone, and wince once more at the rest of your messages, still unread.  
“… about two hours.”  
He clicks his tongue slightly.  
“Short, but we can make it work. Let's stop at my apartment for a second, we need to get some food into you.”  
You nod.  
“But first,” he adds, “let me make a few calls.”

**Ibuki**

“What do you mean you lost them?”  
“My apologies, Sir, we had orders not to leave our post—we notified you immediately, but—”  
You grind your teeth. It's not their fault, you remind yourself. They did their job and didn't have full insight on the situation.  
“It's fine. I'll contact Kiba directly, you continue what you were doing.”  
You hang up, and turn back to the nurse glaring at you.  
“As I was _saying_ , Mr. Ibuki, you should be in bed, not walking around, and _certainly not_ running outside.”  
“A broken arm is not a debilitating ailment. I can walk perfectly fine, and this is an emergency. I can't stay here any longer.”  
“The arm is only part of the picture. With your injuries, you could still experience vertigo, if not outright fainting, and the bruising on your ribs and limbs is nothing to laugh at either. You should be in bed.”  
“I'm discharging myself, Madam. You can't hold me here against my will.”  
One look at her tells you she's considering it. But after a few moments, she finally sighs, face still tense with frowning.  
“I'll call the doctor in charge of this shift. I don't have authority to release you myself. That's the best I can do.”  
It takes all your self-control not to run out without waiting for them. But that could cause even more trouble, including for the other clan leaders.  
You clench your fists, hidden behind the counter.  
“Fine, but hurry up.”  
As she reaches for the service phone, you grab your own again and send Kiba a text message.

**Chrono**

You absently munch on your cheap convenience store bento as Shion makes his last phone calls.  
It's surprisingly hard. When you showed up at his door, you'd felt hungry, but now your stomach is made of concrete, and you struggle to get anything through your throat. Even the rice feels hard and gross to chew, and the food's quality isn't to blame—it's better than some of what you ate in the last couple of days.  
But you're too tense with tiredness and anger and stress.   
_So much for eating..._  
You force a cherry tomato through and put the box down.  
“Alright, be in position when we get there, then,” Shion says, before closing his phone.  
“Who are you even dragging into this?” you ask, still feeling a little detached.  
“Some friends—they're used to this kind of thing.” You raise an eyebrow, and he smiles. “The Kiba heir must keep _some_ secrets, Chrono.”  
You shrug, and look down at your food again.  
 _Come on, self, eat the rice at least._  
“Not hungry?”  
You wince. His phone buzzes again, but he puts it back into his pocket after looking at the screen.  
“… too nervous.”  
“You don't have to do this, Chrono...”  
“No, I have to. It's our only chance to stop him right now. And even if I can't _stop_ him, maybe I can slow him down. Or make him reveal his hand.”  
He stares you down. But you've dealt with too much of that in the last few days. From Ibuki, from Kanzaki and his godamn horses, from Ryuzu himself. This time, you're taking your own decisions.  
“… well, in that case...”  
He turns away and reaches for his dresser, rummaging through a drawer.  
A couple of minutes later, he's still at it.  
“… need help?”  
“No, I'm just looking for—aha. Here we go.”  
He closes the drawer and comes back to sit next to you, holding out something in his hand.  
You blink. It's his good luck charm, a copy of the one you keep carefully stored at home.  
“You'll need all the luck you can get,” he states.  
Despite everything, you smile.  
“Thanks, Shion.”  
“Thank me when we actually win. Are you ready to go?”  
It's that time already? You were almost starting to feel at ease.  
“… let's go.”  
He nods and bends closer to slide the charm inside your pocket, before standing up and holding out a hand to you.

He's already waiting for you when you walk onto the small plaza, and once more, you're amazed at how convincingly he can play the innocent child, until he sees you and actually opens his mouth.  
“Chrono! I've been waiting for you.” He smiles and takes a step forward. “It was good of you to come.”  
You stay silent. Force yourself to breathe slowly.  
 _You can do this._  
“I'd like to hear your decision,” he says, walking forward to meet you.  
You take your deck out and brandish it in his face. Like a weapon—or maybe a shield. _Don't come any closer_ , but also _meet me_ , because you need him to actually take you seriously, you need him to engage in this fight so its outcome can actually mean something.  
You are no longer the person you were a mere few days ago. You won't fall so easily this time.  
“Ryuzu… fight me.”  
His eyes, shining so bright a second ago, darken, their stare sharp and heavy.  
“Fight me,” you repeat. “Why did you attack Dragon Empire? Why did you hurt everyone?” It smacks of revenge more than prevention, even now, and the feeling rising in your gut right now is getting dangerously close to hate. “Is that really the future you want?!”  
His smile doesn't falter.  
 _He knew I'd find out_.  
This could be a trap. You _know_ it, and yet you can't stop, because _if you don't fight him, who will?_ Who can stand up to him right now?  
It can't be no one. The least you can do is slow him down.  
And you want—  
You still want, underneath all that, to learn the truth.  
Why you? Is what he says is true, why did you open the gate? What was he trying to achieve—what were _you_ trying to achieve?  
What secret weighed on you so much that you could have made yourself forget?  
“You're the one who said Justice belongs to the winner,” you say, pushing yourself forward.   
He smiles. Chuckles.  
“Very well, then. Who will the world choose, I wonder? You? Or me? Let's leave our answer up to this judgement.”  
 _That word again_.  
It's a trap, your entire body screams. But you keep your feet rooted into the ground. You have to fight.  
“The truth that governs the world itself resides within Vanguard, after all. To put it more clearly… our fights express the will of the world.”  
 _Did it? Did it when you sent Mamoru and Ibuki into the hospital?_  
“… then I'll show you. I'll show you you're the one who's in the wrong.”  
He eyes you, calculating.  
“Very well,” he says, then. “But this place is pretty noisy, isn't it?”  
 _What's he talking about?_ You're alone, what little crowd there had been already emptied.  
And that's when you realise. It shouldn't be empty. Something is up.  
Too late to go back now, you think.  
He clicks his fingers. Above you, the sound of a helicopter fills the air, a faint wind sliding through your hair and against your neck.  
You turn and take a few steps back. The helicopter lowers itself to the very plaza, whipping your hair into your face.  
So that was why he'd chosen this place.  
With a chuckle, Ryuzu moves past you and jumps into it with surprising ease.  
“If you want to resolve this matter,” he says, looking down at you, “come with me. This is the one and only chance you will get. If you let it pass, you will never see me again.”  
You're still alone with him. Whether Shion's friends have been stopped or them not intervening is part of a plan, you don't know, but there is no one here, whether to stop you or protect you.  
Maybe he's known all along.  
“Are you afraid?”  
You can't let that chance pass you.

It's only when you've set foot in the helicopter that you hear Shion's voice calling your name.

**Ibuki**

It's already dark by the time they actually release you, and Kiba still hasn't answered your text message.  
You're at a loss. At the very least, you know Chrono is unharmed, and that's already better than the situation has been for the last two days. On the other hand, you still don't know where he is.  
With no better lead, you make your way to Kiba's apartment.

You're almost there when you receive an answer.  
 **My apologies. I gave Chrono my word I wouldn't let anyone know where he is. But I think we need your help now.**  
 _I gave Chrono my word._ Even if he says 'anyone,' it still feels like being slapped.  
He didn't trust you. And why would he? You haven't treated him any better than Myoujin or his people.  
 **I'll be right there** , you answer. **What happened?  
Chrono was taken. Myoujin lay a trap for us.**  
Your head spins.  
 _No._  
You were almost there, _almost_ , and before you could keep him safe, he's been snatched away again.  
You feel your lungs constrict, the cold air you're dragging into them almost making them cramp.  
 _Calm down..._  
You want to run, but you don't even know where to _go_.  
 **Where are you?**

You take a taxi to his location. You can't make yourself handle the crowd of evening transit right now, when you feel so close to breaking. And besides, time is of the essence. The few minutes you spend waiting for it, as frustrating as they are, are well worth the time you'll save getting there.  
When you reach the meeting point, Tokoha Anjou is already there.  
“You didn't see what they did!” she yells, grabbing him by the coat. “Ryuzu Myoujin is completely out of his mind… and now he's got Chrono!?”  
You hold back a wince and walk towards them.  
“If anything… if anything happens to him...”  
“I'm the one you should blame,” you call out.  
They turn towards you. It scares you, to stand before their stares, but at the same time, it feels right.  
Taking your responsibilities feels right.  
Fighting for him feels right. And you'll take whatever you need to to get him back.  
What matters is moving forward.  
“I'll accept all responsibility,” you tell them, “ _after_ we get Chrono Shindou back.” Neither of them argues, so you continue. “Please tell me everything you can about how he was taken.”  
Kiba turns to face you fully.   
“Of course.” He rummages through his pockets, and takes out his phone. “I didn't just let Chrono go without a backup plan.”  
On the screen, a single dot pulses, pinpointing a location on a map.  
“A GPS?”  
“I put a tracker on him before we left.”  
Anjou gasps.  
“You _what?_ ”  
“It was just a last resort safety measure… but it turns out it was needed. I had a team ready to apprehend Myoujin, or at least ensure Chrono's safety, but it seems he had expected that. They were knocked out when I got to them.”  
“You shouldn't have been _meeting_ with Myoujin in the first place—” She breaks off and sighs in frustration, shaking her head. “Nevermind. Did you at least tell him?”  
“No.” He looks away from her slightly. “I put it in his good luck charm.”  
“ _Shion!_ ”  
“That might be for the best,” you interrupt. “If he knew where it is, he could betray its presence much more easily, by checking on it consciously or subconsciously. Myoujin is a good manipulator; he can pick up on this kind of cues. But he can't give away what he doesn't know. As much as I dislike it, not telling him may be what allows us to save him.”  
“That was my reasoning, yes,” Kiba points out.  
Anjou sighs, still glaring at him.  
“Nevermind that. What are we waiting for?”  
You hold out your hand towards Kiba, and he nods and hands you the phone. The dot is still moving, but slowing down, and it doesn't take you long to recognise the area on the map.  
You all but shove the phone back into his hand.  
“I know where they're going. Contact Katsuragi, I'll warn my own team. You can tell me the rest on the way.”  
“What do I tell him?”  
“To meet us at my house in half an hour, I'll pay for his travel if needed.”  
“I'm on it.”  
You've already begun walking before he even finishes his sentence. Behind you, the two of them pick up the pace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies, Gentlemen, Honoured Readers of various genders: Shion Kiba


	9. Chapter 9

**Chrono**

It's the first time you've been in a helicopter.  
The thought hits you idly as you fly, the side of your head idly, blankly pressed against the window, staring at the city underneath.  
You should be tense. You're in the enemy's hands, completely isolated, and it's not like you can run from a flying helicopter. Even if you fought and overpowered Ryuzu, what would you do then? Whoever is controlling the thing still has you at their mercy, and you can't take control if you somehow incapacitate them. Even without the risks to yourself, you'd crash the thing on people underneath.  
So all you can do is wait and see, and that brings you a strange sense of peace.  
So you watch the city under you, all the people you can't even make out who have no idea what is actually playing out above their heads.  
It's still beautiful.  
“A nice view, isn't it?”  
You almost roll your eyes. Why is he still acting friendly towards you, even now? You've made it clear that you don't plan on joining him.  
But then again. That plays to your advantage. If he's still here, if he planned on talking to you even though he knew you'd learn about what happened at Dragon Empire, then it means he hasn't given up on obtaining your power.  
Luna can summon units too. So whatever he's planning for you, it has to be far, far greater.  
The weapon he wants the most is, it seems, in your hands. And if he hasn't taken you by force yet, it must mean it depends on your will.  
That gives you bargaining power. And bargaining power wins you time.  
“You must be wondering where we're going.”  
You shrug.  
“It doesn't matter, does it?”  
“Does it, now? A good question.”  
You hold back the urge to rolls your eyes. After this week, your patience for cryptic shit is running thin.  
The helicopter starts slowing down.

You're halfway down the ladder when you realise that you've been here before.  
“This place...”  
You take a better look at it as you set foot on the ground. The torn structure. The metallic beams.  
_I can't move forward with you until that's resolved_.  
It hits you suddenly. It was filled with afternoon sun last time, but this is the place Ibuki brought you to fight, all these months ago, before the G quest. Back when you thought all the events with Kanzaki were finished and you could go on with your life.  
The place where Chrono Dran's card woke for you, coming to life with colours and a faint warmth that you've felt ever since, every time you've held it.  
It had been like coming home.  
_What is this place..._  
Something's up. For the both of them to bring you here, there has to be something special about it.  
“Is this place acceptable?” he asks, unfolding his fighting table.  
“It's fine,” you repeat, setting up your own side. You pull out the card from the bottom of your deck, its faint hum comforting against your fingers. “If I win, don't use units like that ever again!”  
He smiles, sickeningly superior.  
You're missing something. But you won't know what until you fight.  
“Then, in that case… if you lose, will you admit that I am right?”  
You don't bother humouring him with an answer. It's not like Hiroki did. Like Enishi did.  
“I'm not gonna lose. My Gear Chronicle comrades—my _friends_ are at my side. I won't lose with them there.”  
He smiles again. But your deck itself is singing to you, even as you draw your cards, even as you turn Chrono Dran's card over. In your mind's eye, you feel yourself slide into his skin, the Ride second nature to you by now.  
_The power of imagination is infinite._ Maybe he's right. Through Chrono Dran's eyes, you feel the fight much more viscerally, instinctively than if you were just thinking about cards. The two have always been there for you, mixed, as if the cards in your hands were but a vessel to the tension in your body.  
And yet the cards themselves have value too. They link you, each and every one of them, to one of your units, the same ones that will soon stand at your side.  
He rides Masergear dragon. You slip to the back, riding Timebreak Dragon instead.  
“… I didn't really get it, you know. I didn't understand how much you were ready to turn Cray units into mere _tools_ for your ambition.” You'd known, but it hadn't really sunk in, that it wasn't just their power he'd wanted to use. But you know now. “But that's all they were, weren't they? You just wanted to use them as weapons!”  
And he'd had the guts to bait _you_ , try to make _you_ rebel, by using the same line. As if you'd care for your own freedom only to abandon those fighting at your side.  
How could you ever live with yourself if you did that? The moment you'd known that units existed, that they were people in their own right, there was no way you would ever have made that choice.  
Using you is one thing. Using them like this, you can't ever accept.  
“There's no way I'm gonna let you do that to them anymore!”  
You attack. He guards, frustratingly calm, and rides to grade 2, his vanguard taking Smokegear Dragon's shape.  
“It isn't as if I _want_ to make these units engage in destructive acts,” he states as he starts his attacks. “It was merely necessary. I had no choice.”  
And what choice did _they_ have? How did those units feel, brought to earth against their will.  
How did they feel, tearing United Sanctuary apart, crushing people under their fists?  
“Shut the hell up!”  
You ride, call another rear-guard. His calm is still eerie, enough to grate at your spine, but the only way you can get him to reveal his hand is by fighting him. And there's no point in holding back.  
“Vanguard… Vanguard is supposed to be fun!” You attack. “It's a bond between people and others. Between people and units!”  
He guards your first attack, filling the field with smoke. You blink, focus on your vanguard for his attack.  
“The people I met at Dragon Empire… everyone else I've met and fought along the way… all of them shared this love for Vanguard! Even these guys...” you let out, your fingers sliding to History Maker's card as you boost and have him attack, “even these guys have responded to my feelings and imagination and fought with me… And you! You ruined all of that!”  
You check a critical, and Smokegear Dragon crashes to the ground.  
The impact makes your feet vibrate.  
“You trampled,” you all but spit out, your entire body humming with it, “on what's most important to ev—”  
Your head rings. Your body hums. Your throat seizes, chokes, screams resonating through your head along with the sounds of the battle.  
_Stop!_  
Pain.  
_Chrono—_  
You catch yourself on the table's edge, gasping as air comes back to your lungs.  
Ryuzu's face, as you blink it back into views, is outright radiant.  
“Is that the end of your turn, then?”  
You swallow. Pull the trigger back to your hand.  
“Y-yeah.”  
He smiles, draws his card.  
“Ride… Chronofang tiger.”  
You tense. This is the vanguard you've been wary of since you first saw him, in that fight just a few days ago. Even now, something about him makes your neck feel cold, a sickening edge like an old, forgotten fear.  
He calls another rear-guard. You brace yourself for the attacks.  
“I understand your anger,” he says. “But… what do you think would happen if I pulled back now? The world wouldn't change. Everything I fought for so far… it will stay nothing more than a pipe dream, unless I take action.”  
The impact of Chronofang Tiger's attack resonates through your bones. You catch your breath as his rear-guard stands.  
“No matter who criticises me… no matter what they say… I will continue down this path.”  
He's mad. How could you ever have thought that there was a logic or honour to his actions? His path, his methods are senseless.  
Where is the dialog he was promising? Where is the gentleness?  
Down the same hole he would put the right to make mistakes, probably.  
_And what would happen… to those who make them..._  
You reach for your deck.  
“Damage che—”  
The cards hum. Your ears ring.  
_But that would be just the same as sacrificing Cray for the sake of our world!_  
You've heard that voice before. You know you've heard it—  
_It's for the sake of a perfect future!_ Surprised, hurt, soothing.  
( _For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again._ )  
You gasp.  
“What's wrong?”  
You don't even look at him.  
“It's nothing.”  
The card you pull is another Timebreak Dragon. You hold on to it, just a little tight, before putting it down in your damage zone.  
That voice… you know you've heard it before, you know it's the key, you have to remember, you—  
_Forget everything, Chrono._  
Even now, I don't know why Rive betrayed me.  
You hiss in as the realisation hits you.  
_Dad_.  
“Mudar attacks.”  
You blink, catch yourself on time to guard.  
“I end my turn,” he says, quiet and confident.  
You're shaking.  
“Stand… and draw...”  
You ride Chronojet Dragon, and it feels just a little safer, but before you have time to let yourself feel his strength, your sight blurs again, your skin full of static.  
_This day will go down in history. Our world… and Cray… finally joined, not just in spirit, but physically..._  
You hold on to your cards, your lifeline. You can't drop them, they're all you have—  
“Generation Zone, release!”  
You stride Warp Drive Dragon, and attack his vanguard, barely taking the time to use his skill to time leap and clear out as much of his field as you can.  
“I…”  
(Bright lights and the song of space and the call, the call, the call… )  
_This is… the future._  
“No guard.”  
Then and now, he still speaks the same way, as if he's already left the world behind and only sees the chimera of light in front of his eyes. The words meld, superimpose.  
_Get a grip_ , you chide yourself.  
“Triple… drive...”  
One… two… a critical, coming to your aid as if trying to reassure you.  
“The power… goes to Balih...” Your head hurts. “The critical… goes to Warp Drive...”  
_Well done, Rive!_ “Are you all right?” _Our Peacemaker..._  
You gasp, bite your lip, blink the fog from your eyes.  
“Balih… attacks your...”  
_Chrono… Chrono, what did you—_  
You collapse forward, barely catch yourself on the table, your cards falling, and you _know_ , you know this place and its lights and its rubble, you _know_ , you were…

“We never talked about that! That would be just the same as sacrificing Cray for the sake of our world!”  
“It's for the sake of a perfect future! Of course some sacrifice would be necessary! You did realise this, didn't you?”  
“Not on this kind of scale!? This isn't the kind of future I want to grasp!”  
“Calm down, Rive! Just listen to me, please!”  
You're searching, through darkness and light, for someone who called out for you.  
The voices resonate around you, and you're _scared_ , but you have to find… you have to find…  
_I'm here._  
“Even if all the inhabitants of Cray hated me for all eternity, I would still have chosen this path.”  
“How could you do something like that!?”  
“You've been here all this time, why are you only objecting now? Rive, our dream, _your_ dream is finally going to come true!”  
You tune out the voices, reach for the hand extended towards you.  
“Oh! So you're Chrono too?”  
Your hands meet. And the world tears apart, light and pain and the song of a different world humming at you.  
You're standing, legs shaky, body heavy, in front of a ring of metal, in front of stars. Like staring into infinity.  
Someone's hand in yours.  
You blink. Your limbs won't move. But around you, you hear—  
Voices.  
“A unit?”  
“A miracle!”  
“That wasn't supposed—”  
“How did...”  
“Well done, Rive,” the voice you heard earlier says. Your sight blurs. “You truly are our Peacemaker. Look! Our Peacemaker's imagination has not only connected us to Cray through the very fabric of time and space, but it has even brought a unit to this world!” The voice warps, crinkles. “Rive! Don't you see? You're going to be a saviour!”  
Something is _wrong_ , you shouldn't have reached, you shouldn't…  
“Chrono… Chrono, what did you—”  
“What are you waiting for!? Prepare the depend cards! We'll tie him up and conduct a thorough examination!” _No!_ “We need to capture the other Zodiac Time Beasts, after all.” No, this is wrong, you shouldn't have— “Rive! Catch that unit!”  
You gasp. The hand in yours squeezes.  
“That's right. We need to find out what mechanism brought it here, after all.”  
The world slips into static. You hear screams—angry, scared. Everything goes white, something pulling at your every sense.  
And then pain. You scream, but your voice doesn't come out. Everything hurts, but you can't feel your body anymore.  
And then, out of nowhere, sensation, warmth wrapping around you. Impact.  
The world goes black.

You open your eyes, and everything hurts, and you can't _move_. You try, to push yourself off the ground, to right yourself, but it's like your very limbs have been torn off. You try and try, but it doesn't work.  
_It's my fault, I need to fix it, I need—_  
You push yourself to your side with a sob. At a distance, you hear someone gasp your name.  
_Move… move!_  
From your side to your stomach.  
Something breaks behind you. You panic, force your arms to pull you forward, to crawl away—towards the body in front of you. The footsteps come closer. You hold back another sob, the gravel on the ground scraping at your skin like blades.  
“Rive!”  
Hands pick you up. You want to cry out, but the hold is careful.  
You feel so weak.  
“Rive! What are you doing?”  
Something is wrong… you have to tell him… you try and tug on the man's shirt, but your senses are slipping away, drowned by the aftermath of pain.  
He bends down. Another body settles into his arms next to you. You're too weak to reach anymore.  
In the distance, the voice calls again, desperate.  
You blink, try to stay awake.  
“I… It's my fault...”  
“Nothing happened here, Chrono. Forget about it.”  
But that's not right. You can't forget, because everything is wrong and you have to _fix_ —  
“Because of me… because of me, he… Because I called for him...”  
Because you wanted to _see_.  
“You didn't do anything. Forget it. Forget about Cray. Forget about the units.” _No!_ “Vanguard. Forget about everything.”

“—up! Wake up!”  
You're floating. Suspended in space, suspended in time. Your entire body a blur.  
“ Wake up! Chrono—”  
You open your eyes.  
“There he is!”  
“ _Finally!_ ”  
The world comes into focus. You're—yourself, you think, no longer small and weak and clumsy. And in front of your face—  
A small pair of eyes brightens, a smile spreading on a brass-coloured face.  
“Hi!”  
You blink.  
The face pulls back, and you recognise it. You've met them before. When you awakened their depend card, back in Star Gate Branch.  
_Chronotherapy_ , your mind supplies.  
“You...”  
You bring a hand up to rub at your eyes, and look around more, to two more figures floating right behind them. _Chronoethos. Chronodoze._  
“You guys...”  
“You can finally hear us,” Chronodoze sighs.  
“We've been trying to reach you for a while,” Chronoethos adds, stern but soft, “but you wouldn't hear our voice. Something was obscuring your mind.”  
“Even though we were already in the gate...” Chronotherapy laments.  
You swallow.  
“I'm sorry… it's all my fault, isn't it?”  
“No.” You look back up towards Chronoethos. “The two of you opened the gate… but you were not the one to put things into motion. Even before the gate was opened, contact had already been established.”  
“Huh?”  
“We were betrayed,” Chronodoze says, quietly. “We didn't realise until it was too late, that his so-called justice...”  
“Chrono, you have to stop him!”  
“I...” You try to steady yourself, to piece everything together. 'Justice.' 'Sacrifice.' Cray. “… what's he trying to _do_?”  
“Myoujin and Chronofang are trying to tip the balance between worlds,” Chronoethos explains. “Earth and Cray are linked by the power of imagination and possibility. Normally, there exists a balance, with both running freely between the two. But if they succeed...”  
“All of Cray's energy, all its luck, will be fed to Earth through the gathered power of imagination. Nothing will remain on Cray but misfortune and darkness.”  
You gasp.  
“But then...”  
“Eventually, it will wither and die.”  
_No._  
You can't let it happen. It's bigger than everything you imagined, bigger than the freedom of your unit friends, bigger than even a few lives on Earth.  
What Ryuzu is planning is nothing short of genocide.  
All the units who brought you happiness, you helped you meet your friends. Who gave little kids an anchor against loneliness. Who made people feel strong.  
They did so much for Earth already, and he wants to let them despair and die?  
And you'd almost let him use you for that goal.  
You feel sick.  
“… I'll stop him. It doesn't matter what I have to do. I'll stop him. I promise.”  
Chronotherapy laughs, flies at you and grabs your hands, spinning you around.  
“Yaaay!”  
“We don't have much time,” Chronoethos chides. “As long as we remain stuck in the gate, our ability to talk to you is limited.”  
“What do I do, then?”  
“If you call, we will come to you.” They smile. “We are your comrades, after all.”  
You nod. Chronotherapy squeezes your hands, and your vision blurs again.  
“Don't forget us, okay!”  
“I… I promise...”

You fall to your knees in front of the Vanguard Table.  
_I have to stop him._  
“Are you feeling quite all right?” his voice comes, youthful again but disgustingly superior, and rage flares through you, filling your veins with energy once again.  
“You…” you gasp, “you'd sacrifice… not just units… but an entire _planet_...”  
He doesn't answer.  
Your sight blurs, but it's in anger this time.  
“How dare you!?” you scream, and you don't even remember pushing the table aside but you're already grabbing him, shaking him— “I'll never let you do that, you hear that, I'll stop you even if I ha—”  
Pain shoots through you, sharp and hard like a blade running through your stomach, fire against your skin. You gasp, your arms jerking as your chest and stomach lock up.  
_N-no!_  
Your hands release him. Your lungs refuse to work.  
You slide into darkness once more.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me forever. I'm technically still on hiatus but wanted to post this anyway since I finally finished the illustration for it

**Ibuki**

“Mr. Ibuki!”  
You've been driving for a while, faster than you'd usually like, when Kiba calls out to you.  
“What is it?”  
“He's moving again!”  
You swear under your breath. You'd done as fast as you could, getting your car out as soon as you got home, pulling Katsuragi inside and driving off before even starting to tell him what was going on. You'd left that task to Anjou and Kiba, focusing on the dark streets and cursing the people still out at this time of night, slowing you down.  
You'd known exactly where they were going. Now, though? You're at a loss again.  
“Where are they going?”  
“It's moving back towards us. Fast, too—I think they're in the helicopter again.”  
“There, look!”  
You spare a second to look up, in the direction Anjou is pointing. And sure enough, flying right over you and towards the other end of the city, a helicopter's dark silhouette and lights.  
You bite your lip and try to find somewhere you can afford to turn back in.

**Chrono**

The first thing that registers when you wake up is numbness. All through your body, like falling asleep in a too hot bath, muscles that refuse to move, a cotton-y feel behind your eyes that begs for more sleep.  
Light, then, against your eyes even through your eyelids.  
And then pain.  
It spreads from your stomach when you claw your way out of sleep, soreness throughout your entire stomach and small, sharp needles of pain and something like heat on your skin. You gasp, open your eyes.  
You're in a bed. Where—  
_Where was I? Where_ am I _?_  
You search your brain for memories, come up with darkness, with arms around you, with stars, with—  
_The fight!_  
You'd been fighting Ryuzu. You'd been fighting him, and then you tried to grab him, and everything went dark.  
And now it's daytime, and you're in a bed.  
You sit up suddenly. Your stomach protests, cramps flaring as you pull on your abdominal muscles, and you have to curl up a little before your breath will even out. But at least you can move.  
Shaking the dizziness out of your head, you look around.  
“You're finally awake?”  
You almost jump. He's sitting on a chair near the window, a book in his hands. You wince and turn in his direction. He doesn't even look at you.  
_Don't give me that shit_ , you bristle, but before you can speak up, your eyes are drawn to the table next to the bed.  
_My cards!_  
Despite the situation, warmth and relief flood your heart, soothing the pain a little. You expected him to disarm you, but it seems he's intent on finishing your fight.  
Not that these cards count as armed, when he's been using real weapons on you. But more than their actual power, it's the cards themselves you care about.  
Your friends. Your comrades. If you'd lost them…  
You shift on the bed, holding back a wince, and sit on the edge, reaching for your side of the table. Under your hand, the cards seem to hum, reaching back to you.  
_I'm here_ , you tell them.  
“We were in the sixth turn,” Ryuzu states, still not looking away from his book. “Our fight was interrupted right after I guarded Balih's attack.”  
_“Interrupted” is one way of putting it_ , you think, but you keep yourself silent.  
“You weren't fighting with a clear mind, back then, so I took the liberty of changing the location while you cooled down.”  
You could almost laugh. Of _course_ your anger gets described as 'not having a clear mind,' once you actually turn on him, but your obvious dislocation before that doesn't. Who cares if you hurt too much to fight, right? It only plays in his favour.  
But your mind is clear. Your mind has ever been clearer.  
You're tired of words and lies.  
If a fight is what he wants, he'll get it.  
“This is a nice, quiet place, don't you think? No one will interrupt us here.”  
_Shion._  
He finally closes his book.  
“Well, then. Shall we continue our fight?”  
You hold back a snarl.  
“My _pleasure._ ”

**Ibuki**

The morning dawns while you're still driving.  
The location Chrono's been taken to is removed from the city, from most city life, in fact. Even after making your way through the streets and out of the urban area, you've been going for a while.  
Even if Chrono somehow managed to escape, he'd be stuck alone in a rural area with no means of transportation, with an enemy who owns cars and helicopters after him. Not even his resourcefulness could keep him safe and hidden for long. You need to rescue him, no matter what.  
Despite the time, Anjou and Kiba are wide awake still. You expected them to doze off at least a little, but the stress seems to be keeping them up.  
Despite that, the car is silent. You try your best to stay focused on the road, thanking the early hour for how empty it still is; the pain radiating up your arm still makes it hard to focus, and you've skipped the painkillers you'd been prescribed to avoid getting drowsy while driving. Katsuragi, next to you, stays silent, tense enough that you can feel it from your seat.  
He hasn't said much since Kiba explained the situation to him. There had been a few mumbled chastising comments about _why do the two of you do this kind of thing_ , but in the end, all of you were much too focused on rescuing Chrono to argue.  
“I think he's stopped!” Kiba calls out suddenly.  
“ _Finally_ ,” Katsuragi breathes out. “We sure weren't going to outrun a helicopter.”  
“Where is it?” Anjou asks.  
“We're still a distance away… but it doesn't seem to be in any town or village. Mr. Ibuki, your hunch was right.”  
You hum, and keep your eyes on the road.  
“Kamui, do you have any network here? I can give you the coordinates...”  
“Sure. You keep an eye on that GPS, tell us if it moves again.”  
“All right.”

You keep driving. Next to you, Katsuragi swears under his breath, working at his tablet.  
“Still no change in the GPS signal,” Kiba calls after several minutes. “It's been static for a while now.”  
“Aaaand I finally got it,” Katsuragi announces. “It's a house—seems to belong to a company named Antares.”  
“Antares!?” Kiba asks, pulling himself closer.  
“What, you know them?”  
“It's a corporation that has ties with the Vanguard Association.”  
“Ryuzu Myoujin may have used that company to manage his personal fortune,” you suggest. “Given the situation, it's even more likely.”  
“What do you mean?” Katsuragi asks.  
“If he knew he was going to die, he needed a way to have access to his wealth in his new body. It's much easier to manage this way than creating a new identity and transferring money to it—and less conspicuous, too.”  
“Oh. I see.”  
“This is probably a vacation home, or something of the sort.”  
“Right.” He pauses. “… hey, is your arm really okay? Should you actually be driving?”  
It's not like you had a choice. The only other person you'd trust enough who can drive is in the hospital, and anyone else was too far away.  
And besides, it could be worse.  
“I ate your dried sardines...”  
You trail off as a car comes into your rear view mirror. Fast, but just fast enough to catch up to you and then slow down to your pace, rather than changing lanes ahead of time on the empty road.  
Your throat tightens. Maybe you're just paranoid—  
The car swerves and moves to the next lane, speeding up suddenly and brushing entirely too close to you.  
_Shit._  
You press down the accelerator, too late.  
“What's wrong?” Katsuragi asks, catching on to your apprehension.  
“We've—got company,” you say, cringing as the car hits you.  
You hold on to the wheel, force your car to keep moving forward as it scrapes against the railing. At the back, Kiba and Anjou cry out.  
The other car scrapes past. In it, Wakamizu—then Shinonome and Enishi.  
_How did they even find us..._  
They don't give you any time to ponder it. The moment your car is freed from their pressure, they slide in front of you, Shinonome holding a gun. The frozen second it takes your brain to realise it isn't real is enough for him to splatter your windscreen with ink.  
_Don't panic!_  
You try to drive right ahead.  
“Katsuragi, direct me!”  
He bends to the left, peering through the still-clear section of the windscreen.  
“We're—shit! Ibuki, the interchange!”  
Of course. They'd timed their attack well.  
“Hold on tight!”  
You swerve, attempting to forge on ahead. If you can switch to a different direction, then accelerate and lose them…  
You hit the railing again. The impact shoots through your arm, driving in nails of pain and blurring your vision.  
“There's too many turns ahead—” Katsuragi calls out, “we can't—!” You gasp, try to regain control of the car. “Ibuki!”  
Another turn, another hit.  
_Shit, I can't do this..._  
If you'd been alone, you would have tried. But with the three of them there, you can't take that risk. You can't protect them if all four of you are dead.  
You let your momentum stop you, focusing on keeping the car upright.  
“What do we do now?” Katsuragi asks, looking at Anjou and Kiba.  
“You two stay here,” you tell them. “Katsuragi, you're with me. We'll try to stall them—look out for your chance, and if you hear either of us scream, run.”  
“That won't be necessary,” Kiba tells you.  
You turn towards him. He smiles, lips thin.  
“I got us backup.”

You step out of the car, Katsuragi at your side.  
“What, are you giving up already?” Wakamizu gloats. You ignore him, instead trying to judge whether they have any actual weapons on them—Rummy Labyrinth being absent, at least, makes the probability of them having Depend Cards with them rather low.  
Not that you'd want to risk it. Underestimating the enemy has already cost you too much.  
In the distance, you hear more engines approaching.  
_Let's hope it's backup and not more trouble._ You check Wakamizu's face, see his eyes widen in surprise. Good.  
Motorcycles drive up to you and circle both cars. Kiba gets out of the car, exchanges a few words with the leader, and throws you some keys, while one of the other drivers passes you a helmet.  
“Go!” he calls. “Find Chrono, we'll hold them here.”  
He hands Katsuragi the GPS tracker while you start the motorcycle you've been pointed to.  
“Take care of them, I'm leaving them in your hands,” you tell their leader as the engine comes to life. “If it looks like they're armed, run.”  
“You can count on me!”  
Katsuragi climbs behind you, and speed on ahead.

**Chrono**

You move the table to an empty room. Why he needs a better location when your stomach still hurts and the bed would have been nice to sit on, you're not sure, but at this point, you want to be _done_. You want this fight, you want to _finish_ this fight, and if you can crush him, great, but even if you can't, you still want to fight him. Your patience has finally run out.  
If you fall, whatever time you've won will hopefully help someone else defeat him.  
_Don't forget the Depend Cards, though._  
You've kept them carefully hidden, thankfully, tucked in an inside pocket of your jacket that he hopefully won't find, even if you're knocked unconscious again. You'd carefully brushed your arm against the spot when he had his back turned, making sure they were still there.  
And Chrono Dran is still on the table in front of you. Ryuzu's insistence of finishing the fight kept him at your side.  
_I have to win._  
You don't know if you can, but you have to.  
The table clicks back in place. You lay your hand on the cards, letting your imagination call to them again.  
_Help me, guys. I can't do this without you._  
“Are you ready, then?”  
“You bet I am.” You reach for your vanguard. “I end my turn. Warp Drive goes back to the G zone. Balih goes back to the bottom of my deck… and I call back Upstream Dragon from the bind zone in his place.”  
The pieces fall back into place, the fight into shape. Once more, Chronojet stands in front of you.  
It's time to defend with everything you've got.  
“I stand and draw.” He draws his card, and continues without even looking at you. “With Chronofang's skill, the cards I discard to stride get grade plus three, and in exchange, I bind them.”  
He strides, Float Gear Hippogriff rising to the skies and hovering above you. His field fills again, replacing the units you'd gotten rid of before you'd lost consciousness.  
“… you're planning to steal Cray's future to turn ours into what you want,” you say as he places his cards.  
Even now, the anger fills you, less overwhelming than it had been last night (was it last night?), but sharp instead, hardening your body with purpose.  
He smiles.  
“So you've finally remembered, have you? I was hoping you would… The events of that day shaped your life, after all.” You stay silent, and he continues. “Do you see now? This is your destiny.”  
_If I have a destiny at all_ , you think, _it's to stop you_.  
Or die trying. But hell if you'll go down easily.  
“Float Gear attacks.”  
You consider your options for a second. Let the attack through. You're still only at two damage.  
“The very truth of the world is waiting beyond the Stride Gate, Chrono. It's just within our reach. The scales of destiny connect both worlds together, and Vanguard is an expression of that destiny. With the power of the Zodiac Time Beasts, I will tilt that scale, and lead this world into a perfect future.” He smiles, calmly reaches for his deck to drive check. “So, Chrono… shall we see what that truth is?”  
He draws Chronofang Tiger.  
_Could be worse_ , you think, until his smile stops your relief in his tracks.  
“With Float Gear's skill, every time I drive check a grade 3, it gets an extra five thousand power… and time leap one of my rear-guards.”  
Gunnergear Dracokid skips through time, and Melem appears on the field.  
“And Nanneya's skill, every time a card is put into the bind zone, gives him four thousand power,” he continues, almost radiating satisfaction.  
The second check is a heal trigger. You watch Melem's power go up, enough to reach your vanguard's attack if he decides to aim for it, as he heals one of his points of damage.  
_That's back to three to three… and he's barely started his turn._  
The third check is a critical.  
_Three to four_ , you amend, wincing. You know it's just chance, but the perfect way his drive check has developed still puts you on edge.  
_Stop it, don't think like that._  
There is no destiny at work here, save the one you can grasp for yourself.  
You take the damage, cursing as a perfect guard gets pulled out of your reach.  
“So what? You want to steal everyone's future to make just one world happy, and you think I'd go along with that!?”  
“I never asked for your permission!” he counters.  
_Ah, there it is._  
'It's for your own good.' The words of bullies, of cruel adults, of all those who don't consider others as people. And there you have your answer.  
What would you be to him? To someone who would decide on people's future without asking them what they want, you can only be a possession. You would never make a choice of your own again.  
_What happiness is that!?_  
You've fought too hard for these feelings and possibilities to have them stolen from you now.  
You guard Melem's attack.  
“A world where no one will cry anymore… where no one will be hurt anymore… That is the perfect future I will bring! With Vanguard, we can save the world!”  
He attacks. You block, barely.  
“Shut the _hell_ up,” you yell, because you've had _enough_. You've had enough of people telling you what is best for you. Of people deciding your future without asking.  
And there are things in Vanguard much too precious for you to lose.  
You stride Chronodragon Nextage.  
_C'mon,_ you tell him as his roar resonates, fills you with the same strength, _help me out there._  
The corners of his mouth stretch over a row of teeth as you send Ryuzu's Mudar back to his deck, and you think it might have been a knowing smile.  
_We can do this_ , you tell yourself again, calling Drain Valve to strengthen him.  
“Just...” you say, turning your attention back to Ryuzu himself, “just what do you think Cray is? Just what do you think _Vanguard_ is? You'd sacrifice both and you think there'd still be a happiness in a future you paid _that_ price for?”  
He shakes his head.  
“Chrono… your imagination is strong… please picture it for me. Everything that you have lost in the past… everything your friends have lost… all the tears you have shed...” His voice hardens, his fist tightening in a dramatic motion. “I can save all of that, Chrono. Even if the future of Vanguard is stolen, I promise that loss will be offset by great happiness!”  
But you've had enough of his sacrifices. You've had enough of his promises. You attack, with your rear-guard first, then with Nextage, without missing a beat.  
“I'm convinced this has always been the purpose of Vanguard's existence in this world!” he tries to appeal.  
You don't stop.  
“Triple drive!”  
A single critical comes to greet you. You give, without hesitation, the power to Chrono Dran.  
Your skin hums.  
Ryuzu puts down his damage, tries to appeal to you again.  
“ _Chrono!_ ”  
_Shut up!_  
“Nextage's skill!”  
Nextage slips away, leaving Chronojet in his wake once more. His power stays, like a residual blessing, his strength urging you forward along with his legacy, the trigger's power still waiting for your attack.  
You stand.  
“You don't get to decide the meaning of Vanguard! Giving it up just to grasp a future… I'll never accept that. It's not just a game! The person I am now… the person who grew and learned and met people… isn't the same as the person I was before! Vanguard gave me everything I am now… everything I _have_ now… My friends… my world… my very reason for standing here! Vanguard _is_ the person I am now! And I'm not giving up on that!”  
You attack, the accumulated power singing in your veins.  
_This is who I am!_  
In front of you, Ryuzu snarls.  
“Generation Guard!”  
You blink yourself back to this world, the attack stalled. You feel dizzy, head still ringing with the echoes of the fight, but in front of you, he's shaking with rage.  
“In the end… I guess you're nothing more than your father's son.”  
You gasp. Your lungs are burning, spreading too fast.  
“I use Raphanna's skill!”  
The shield strengthens. You hold back a scream as your body strains with frustration.  
_Not yet—_  
“Twin drive!”  
The first check fails, and your attack bounces off, your muscles burning with it. With the strength of desperation, you give the remaining trigger to your rear-guard and attack again.  
“Guard.”  
You bite your lip, almost shivering as you try to get a grip on reality.  
And you'd been so close, so close…  
“I… I end my turn.”  
“Stand and draw.”  
You look up at him. The look in his eyes is cold—but not quite. There's something in it like pain, like yearning—the same kind of expression you remember from his voice, in those few moments that have haunted your dreams in the last few days.  
( _Why are you betraying me?_ )  
“My wish is for all the future,” he says, paying for his stride. “I will sacrifice anything for it!”  
He strides Bind Time Dragon, and calls Chronofang Tiger next to him. You gulp as he stands in front of you again, and for a second, you think he's looking straight at you.  
“Why...” he whispers, snapping your focus back to him despite the chills in your back. “Why can't you just understand? I just wanted to make people happy… to make _you_ happy…”  
“I never asked for that!”  
_Nobody asked for that._  
“I didn't ask you for your opinion!”  
He's _crying_.  
_Why?_ Why is he so bent on this, on forcing you and others into a happiness you never asked for, into a happiness you rejected? What does he care so much for, that he would turn the very things he claims to love into puppets for it?  
Why would he be so _desperate_?  
“Bind Time attacks your Vanguard!” You brace. “Bind Time's skill! I bind Ur-Watar; Bind Time gains ten thousand power, and an extra critical. And for every card in the bind zone, one of your rear-guards goes back to the bottom of your deck!”  
Your strength falters, sapped away with your rear-guards, and you're left standing alone, incomplete.  
“Ur-Watar goes back to the deck, and I draw two cards! One card from my hand is put back into the deck!”  
You swallow as he enunciates his skills, forging forward almost like he's on autopilot despite the tears in his eyes.  
He reaches towards his attacking vanguard once more, and hesitates, hovering.  
“I… I believed in you, Chrono. So why… why are you betraying me!?” He sobs, faltering. “We could do it together, Chrono! With Vanguard, we could save the world… so why… _Why!?_ ”  
You grit your teeth, throw down the Perfect Guard you'd held on to.  
“Triple Drive! Critical Trigger! All the effects… go to Chronofang Tiger.”  
_Shit. I can't guard it._  
“I'm going to save the world!” he all but yells. “Even if it takes every last breath of my life! Even if I have to do it all alone!”  
_Come on, we can still do this!_  
“… no guard.”  
You reach for your deck.  
“Damage check...”  
_Help me._  
Smokegear.  
_**Help me!**_  
You reach for your second card.  
Through your senses, Chronofang roars. You look back up to Ryuzu's tearful, smiling face.  
“Even without a Peacemaker's power… I can do this much, at least.”  
It takes you several breaths to realise that Chronofang is now in this reality, too. Tall, solid, and still homing in on you with his stare.  
You almost don't hear Ryuzu's parting words.  
“Goodbye… Rive's son...”  
Before you can even move, Chronofang draws back to hit.  
_Don't forget us, okay?  
If you call, we will come to you. We are your comrades, after all._  
Like on reflex, your hand reaches in your pocket.  
_**Help me!!**_  
You see stars.

 _We're here._ Warmth, stern but stable, unyielding.  
_See, we knew you could do it!_ Bubbly courage and belief.  
_We won't let him harm you._ Quiet strength, melancholy but still determined.  
The gate expands around you, warping its way out of your skin, and through it you feel bodies rushing, reaching, their movement whipping through your hair.  
You hold the cards in front of you still, brandishing them like a weapon, as Chronoethos, Chronodoze and Chronotherapy burst from the space within you, meeting Chronofang head on.  
You can barely see through the light filling the room.  
I front of you, Ryuzu gasps.  
“A miracle...”  
Metal creaks, Chronoethos's spear grinding against Chronofang's armoured fist. Chronotherapy yells.  
With a sudden burst of strength, they shove Chronofang back, forcing Ryuzu to step out of the way. Barely.  
_They need help._  
You switch the Depend Cards to your other hand, and reach under your deck for Chrono Dran's card.  
_Come on..._  
With everything you have, you call on to the card's strength, pulling through time and space.  
“Come to me!”  
Something tears at your chest. You gasp, choke, almost falter, but hang on to the card anyway, pulling on it with all of your will.  
And somewhere, far away, you feel a tug.  
You bite your lip.  
_Come on!_  
The magnetic pull on your chest tightens, claws at you, and in front of you, space tears apart.  
Light, again, like a midday sun, and you blink again, hiding at your face. Heat.  
And through the second gate, Chrono Dran comes flying, spinning, barely catching himself with his jets.  
In the distance, you hear someone call your name.  
_… Dad?_  
“C-Chrono...”  
You look up. In the light still radiating from your skin, Chrono Dran's expression almost looks like fear.  
A familiar metal noise alerts you, and you reach up to grab his hand and pull him down, out of the way of Chronofang's punch.  
He screams. You wrap arms around him and roll out of the way.  
Chronofang's fist connects with the ground, sending splinters of wood flying. You shield Dran and your own face with your arm, before standing up in front of him, eyes on Chronofang.  
“What's wrong?” you call back. “Are you all right?”  
“I… I...”  
_What the hell is happening..._  
You want to go back to talk to him, reassure him, but you can't take your eyes off Chronofang. Or—off Ryuzu, for that matter, you realise abruptly, searching the room for him. You spot him crouching around the room, trying to cut you off from behind.  
“Chronoethos!” you call.  
They rush in at your call, blocking off Ryuzu's path. He stumbles back, almost tripping, but Chronofang's on them before you can warn them, sending their spear flying.  
It crashes through the door, making part of the wall fall down.  
Chronoethos flies past you, landing against the wall. But with the collapsing room, Ryuzu's been shoved back too, lying on the ground in the middle of debris.  
The remaining Depend Cards scattered around him.  
Chronofang stands again.  
_No choice._  
You spring forward, dodge under Chronofang's arm, and reach for the cards, pulling them into your hand before grasping at the space within you again, calling with all your heart, all of your soul.  
In the distance, you hear someone call out your name.  
“Come to me!”  
Your skin implodes again, space stretching through it and around you. One by one, you feel the cards hum, heat up, as the voices of each Time Beast reaches you.  
_—mistake—  
...too late—  
—go down like this…  
… sorry…  
—I swear!  
—hold on!_  
The cards burn. The space in your skin expands further, pulls harder. The light spreads, harsh, blinding, scalding.  
You choke.  
Everything goes black.

**Ibuki**

You reach the house just on time to feel space distort.  
It's low, almost too low, the kind of noise you feel in your bones rather than your ears, and you'd almost have thought it the fruit of your imagination if it hadn't reached even through your helmet, and if it hadn't been preceded by a flash of light that almost made you swerve.  
You stop in front of the house, and look up to find the light's source, a glow shining through a group of windows, even stronger than the morning sun.  
You stop the engine, and gasp as pain flares in you again, the vibrations of the motorcycle no longer covering it.  
_Stupid ribs..._  
You grit your teeth and sit up, trying to catch your breath.  
“Ibuki! Ibuki, are you okay?”  
“I'm fine.” You bite your lip and reach for the helmet, pushing it off with your free arm and the opposing shoulder. “Let's go.”

“Shit,” he calls as you catch up to him. “Door's locked.”  
He starts shoving against it with his entire body, but you call him back.  
“Stand clear.”  
You kick at the lock with all your might. It shakes, but doesn't budge. You kick again.  
“Ibuki, are you sure—”  
With a yell, you kick at it again, putting all your weight and momentum into it. The wood around the lock splinters.  
_Almost there_.  
A last one, and it breaks, the door half-torn around the lock. Katsuragi grabs it and shoves it open, raining splinters over the ground.  
“Here we… go!”  
You rush inside.  
No one's come to meet you. You're not sure whether that's a good or a bad sign, but you don't have time to dwell on it.  
_Where's the North wing..._  
There's a large staircase in front of you, but you don't think it'll lead to other parts of the house. Considering the outside shape of the house… you decide to take a bet, and dash towards a side corridor instead, Katsuragi following not far behind.  
You cross the house, thankfully finding no more locked doors, and finally find another staircase. You're halfway through it when the noise of something crashing reaches you.  
_No!_  
If you're too late, if Myoujin actually had the means to summon units with him—  
Katsuragi dashes in front of you, calling Chrono's name. You don't have time to stop him or tell him to be careful.  
He pushes the door open.  
The first thing you see is the light. It blinds you for a second, coming in waves as their source moves—and you realise, with a gasp, that that source is Chrono. He's shining, his hair floating as if caught in zero gravity, the air around him pulsing with starlight.  
You blink and take in the rest. Behind him, Chrono Dran, lying on the floor propped up on his arms. In front of him—  
_Chronofang Tiger_.  
You make to move forward, but Chrono suddenly yells, motioning towards a corner of the room.  
“Chronoethos!”  
Another unit dashes past him, lance at the ready, but Chronofang rams into it, sending the lance flying—  
—straight at you.  
You grab Katsuragi by the shoulder and shove him to the ground, barely dodging the weapon as it crashes to the floor just above your heads.  
With a crack, the floor collapses.

You wake up with your head still ringing, from what you _know_ is only a second of blackout but feels like forever. With a breathy groan, you push yourself up, forcing your body to stand despite the pain.  
“Katsuragi...”  
He shakily gets to his feet next to you, seemingly unharmed. You breathe a sigh of relief and look back up at the collapsed corridor, just in time to hear a yell and see the light flare, almost blinding you again.  
You rush up the stairs again, calling at Katsuragi to follow you. From the room Chrono had been in, another cry comes, something like a child crying. By the time you stand at the edge of the broken floor, you hear the sound of a helicopter.  
_Chrono!_  
You throw yourself at the yet-intact railing, praying for it to hold your weight, and keep yourself flush against it with your free arm as you move from one footing to the next. Slowly, much too slowly.  
The helicopter flies away. You sob.  
“Ibuki!”  
“Wait until...” you call back at him, gasping, “I've made it across.” If it has to collapse, you'd rather not kill the both of you.  
You make it to the other end. Shaking, you lean against the doorframe, grinding your teeth together against the pain so you can move again, walk again. You make your way into the room.  
The entire place is rubble. Aside from the ruined half of the door, partof the outside wall is missing, and there's a hole in the floor large enough for several people to fall through.  
Against all odds, a vanguard table still stands. And in a corner of the room, face down on the floor—  
“ _Chrono!_ ”  
You run to his side, tripping on rubble but catching yourself on time, and kneel down next to him, reaching for his mouth, his neck.  
_Please be alive, please, please..._  
He's burning up. But against your hand, as you turn him over, you feel the faintest breath.  
With a sob, you pull him close to your chest, your good arm keeping him safely tucked against it.  
_Thank you._  
You lower your face to his hair, eyes squeezing shut.  
_Thank you..._  
He's alive. He's alive, and right now you can't make yourself care about anything else.

“Ibuki! Ibuki!”  
You look up at the sound of Katsuragi's voice, and see him jump into the room, gasping at the sight before he catches sight of you.  
“Ibuki— _Chrono!?_ ”  
He rushes to your side, crouching next to you.  
“He's alive.”  
“Thank goodness...”  
“Call for backup. I don't think they're coming back; it gives us some working space, but we need to get him to safety and treatment fast. He's running a fever.”  
“Y-yeah.” He reaches for his phone, pauses. Looks at your face. “Ibuki… are you...”  
“… what?” you ask, honestly confused.  
“… nevermind. Who do I call?”  
“Start with Shinjou, he'll put the rest into motion. Then check up on Kiba and the others.”  
“Okay.”  
“Don't forget to give him our coordinates.”  
“Right.”  
He stands, and reaches for his phone. You check Chrono's breath again, just to ease the paranoia twisting your stomach.  
The last time you thought he was safe, he slipped right through your fingers, and it's only now after days of running always one step behind that you finally get to see him again. And at what cost? How much pain did he actually go through, in those few days? What happened to him _now_ , to render him unconscious and unresponsive?  
You think back to your own injury with a shudder. But there's no sign of impact on him. Surely a direct hit by Myoujin's unit would have caused visible damage.  
You try to check his face, but your sight is too blurry. You rub at your eyes, raising the broken arm despite the needles stabbing through your elbow and shoulder.  
Your hand comes back wet.  
_Oh._  
Blinking the tears out of your eyes, you check him for other signs of damage. There's a few cuts on his face, but they're superficial, and could easily have been caused by flying rubble. You curse your panicked reflex that made you move him without checking him for broken bones first, but none of his joints seem to hang at any weird angle, and you can't see any signs of serious bruising.  
You thank whichever deity could still have not forsaken you at this point.  
“Tetsu sent us an ambulance!” Katsuragi calls from the other end of the room, where he'd been standing next to the hole in the wall.  
“Thank you.”  
“I'll call Shion, hang on.”  
You nod, and look back down at Chrono. A dark patch on his tshirt catches your attention, the fabric not torn and weathered like the rest, but almost _burned_.  
You push back the edge of his shirt and hiss.  
On his stomach, a pair of almost identical marks, burned patches of skin with broken veins surrounding them. The entire area is bruised, too, and you're too scared to touch it, to risk making it worse.  
_What..._  
Electricity? Could anything else have caused this kind of burn without doing more obvious damage to his clothes? But then…  
Myoujin used actual weapons on him, you realise, your body shuddering with burning rage and chilled fear both. After all his talk of peace, he not only attacked the other Branch Chiefs, but _used a weapon on Chrono_ , whom he'd claimed to want at his side.  
The anger makes you downright nauseated.  
And yet, none of this would have happened if you'd trusted him from the very beginning, if you'd told him the truth. If you'd asked him not to go.  
Your pride and fear cost him so much.  
“I'm sorry...” you whisper, pulling him a little closer.  
It's useless, and you know it, but you can't make yourself let go.  
“Wakamizu gave Shion and Tokoha the slip,” Katsuragi grumbles, dropping down to sit on the floor next to you with a sigh. “But they're fine. I told them we found Chrono, they're getting the car towed and meeting us later.”  
“Thank you.”  
He looks at Chrono, then at you.  
“… how is he?”  
“He doesn't seem to be getting worse. But...” You nudge the fabric on his stomach aside again, and Katsuragi swears under his breath. “Some kind of stun gun or taser, I think. I don't think he was tortured, the damage would have been worse… it was probably to incapacitate him.”  
“No violence my _ass_ ,” he hisses. “How'd this guy get anyone to follow him!?” He nudges at some gravel with his foot, taking out his anger on it. “… and Chrono still fought him head on.”  
“He's brave.” You sigh. “He always has been.”  
And all he'd needed to throw himself into battle was something to care about.  
Katsuragi eyes you in silence.  
“… he'll be all right. We got him back, that's what matters.”  
You want to argue, but just nod instead. In the end, he's right. Assigning responsibility doesn't matter nearly as much as making sure he's finally safe.  
And yet, you know he'll keep fighting the moment he can.  
He really does remind you of yourself in the most painful ways.  
“… do you think the taps are running?” you ask. “Water might help ease the fever, and we could clean those burns.”  
“Maybe, but how do we even get it here? I can't climb on that railing with a glass. And I left my water bottle in the car.”  
He's right. You tighten your hand on Chrono's arm and sigh.  
“… Ibuki.”  
“Hm?”  
“There's something else you should probably see.”  
You look up at him. He pulls Chrono's deck out of his pocket.  
“I picked them up while I was calling Shion, so it wouldn't get damaged more… look at Chronojet.”  
He holds out the card for you to see. The dragon's image is whited out, as if stripped of life and substance.  
“Nextage is the same too.”  
“What about Chrono Dran?”  
His moment of hesitation tells you everything you need to know.  
“I couldn't find him anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And because you can't see it on the scan, [the picture is actually sparkly!](https://www.dropbox.com/s/rs2wysddnze5fic/2016-11-14%2017.52.24.jpg?dl=0)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took me forever  
> Everything's just been hard  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway

**Chrono**

You're floating, once more, in the emptiness of space. But this time, no friendly voices come to celebrate your awakening.  
You're alone, and everything feels cold, a deep sense of fear and loneliness and loss that pulls at your memory like a nail on fabric.  
You're lost.  
_Am I dead?_  
You don't remember. You'd been fighting Ryuzu, and then… and then…  
The cards.  
You tried to summon the Time Beasts, and then you don't remember anymore.  
Maybe you _are_ dead. Maybe that's why you feel so empty, so lifeless, so… adrift. Alone among the stars in a sky you can't even fly through.  
You want to close your eyes again.  
_Well.. I tried,_ the part of you that just wants to give in to exhaustion whispers. But you don't let yourself slip back. Whenever you start to, something tugs at you, uneasiness. Revolt.  
You can't leave them alone.  
You can't just abandon your friends at the mercy of someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill them like he tried to kill you.  
You have to protect them.  
You force your eyes to open, and pull as hard as you can on the feeling in your chest, as if it could open a door to them.  
Instead, you find yourself drifting through the emptiness, as if carried by a sudden current in the fabric of space.

As you move, you catch sight of a light. You expect to move past it, but it grows stronger, more vibrant with every second.  
“Is someone there?” you call into the emptiness.  
No answer. But the closer you get to the light, the better you can see it—until you catch sight of silhouettes inside it.  
Massive ones. Smaller ones. Huddled in a group, as if trying to cling to warmth.  
You hit something solid, like a wall of air. And suddenly, you can recognise them.  
Chronobeat Buffalo, standing tall over the others, with Chronospin just behind. Chronoethos Jackal, crouching in front of the group. The other Time Beasts with them.  
And to the side, hugging his knees away from the group, Chrono Dran.  
“Hey!”  
You hit the wall, try to catch his attention.  
He doesn't move. Next to him, Chronotherapy hovers, face sad and hesitant, a comforting hand on Dran's shoulder. You hit the wall again, wave with both arms.  
“Guys! Over here!”  
Finally, Chronotherapy starts, looking up at you, and Chrono Dran follows, raising his head.  
He looks at you in shock, at first. Then—fear, hope, mixed in a hesitant whole.  
He's been crying.  
“Chrono Dran!”  
He doesn't move. You try, in vain, to push at the wall, but nothing happens. Chronotherapy floats down to tell Chrono Dran something, before flying up to you, talking animatedly.  
You can't hear a word.  
“Can you hear me?” you try calling.  
They frown and talk again, their mouth stretching wider in exagerated syllables, but you still can't hear anything.  
“Urgh...”  
You lean your forehead against the wall, sighing. In the distance, Chrono Dran is still looking at you, as if he'd wanted to try and talk. But it's useless.  
“I'm sorry...”  
It's your fault… wherever they are, whatever this thing keeping them prisoner is, if they're all in the same place as Chronobeat, it means that they're in Ryuzu's hands. Or that their cards are, at the very least. Which is essentially the same.  
_It was a trap, wasn't it..._  
Chronotherapy frowns, then flies forward against the wall, startling you. You jump, and they pout, before huffing, and pointing at Chrono Dran again.  
_What do you want me to do..._  
But they're not finished. After pointing and telling you yet another thing that you can't hear, they turn and point to the other side, towards the group of Time Beasts.  
And you finally see her. Lying sheltered between them, Luna, pink hair obscuring her unconscious face.

You wake up.  
“Chrono!”  
You blink. Mikuru's face comes into your field of vision, tears in her eyes but a bright smile on her face.  
“M-Mikuru?”  
“It's me! Oh, thank god...”  
“Where...”  
You blink, bring a hand up to rub at your eyes, piecing your surroundings together.  
A tearful laugh reaches your ears.  
You straighten, wincing at the pain in your stomach, and do a double take.  
Shion. Tokoha. Shin. Kamui. Ibuki.  
“I… You guys...”  
“Thank goodness… finally...” Tokoha says, smiling at you with tearful eyes.  
“Shion.. Tokoha...”  
When's the last time you even _saw_ Tokoha, you realise with a start. Not since that day at school, when you still thought Ryuzu was dead.  
It feels like a lifetime away. With everything that's happened…  
… everything that's happened…  
“Ryuzu! Where's Ryuzu! Did you catch him?” And then your stomach sinks, as you remember your dream. “What about the cards...”  
“When we finally reached you,” Ibuki says, quietly, “you were the only one there. We couldn't find any of the Depend Cards.”  
You look down.  
“It's my fault...”  
Just as you think you're finally going to cry, Tokoha reaches for your hand, squeezing it gently.  
“Hey. That's not true.”  
She smiles when you look up at her, and Shion joins her, laying his hand on both of yours.  
“I'm just glad you're safe, okay?”  
“You gave us a fright.”  
You squeeze back.  
“… sorry.”  
“You're here now,” Kamui says. “That's what matters.”  
You nod. Then take a deep breath, piecing your thoughts together. Relief or no, you can't just stay here doing nothing while others are in danger. You have to tell them what you know, at least.  
“I… I saw Luna. I dunno where, but… she's with the Zodiac Time Beasts. I think… I think they're trying to keep watch over her.”  
They gasp. Tokoha's hand squeezes a little harder.  
“We can still save her. We can still save _them_. I'm sure of it. They're all waiting for us.”  
“Then I'm fighting with you,” she says.  
“Me too,” Shion adds.  
“Hey, don't count me out!” Kamui protests.  
You turn towards Ibuki, putting as much determination as you can muster into your face.  
To your surprise, he smiles, tired and strangely soft with relief.  
“I don't think I could stop you even if I wanted to. You have my support.”  
You grin. Then, a last hint of guilt eating at your stomach, you turn to Mikuru.  
She's looking down.  
“… I don't want to lose you too, you know...” Her eyes rise to meet you, tearful but firm. “But I can't hold you back after hiding all this from you, can I?”  
“Mikuru...”  
“Just… promise me you'll be careful, Chrono.”  
You smile.  
“I promise.”

 

You spend the next few days in bed. Despite your resolution to fight, there's nothing much you can do yet, with no information on Ryuzu or the Time Beasts's location. And so the best you can do is wait. Wait, and give your body time to recover.  
To your dismay, it takes a while. The burns on your stomach, that you'd almost forgotten with the adrenaline of that fight, start scabbing and healing, and the itch and pain are a constant distraction, poking at the edge of your awareness. The soreness, too, slows your every movement. In your stomach, mostly, but also in the rest of your body, all of it moving sluggishly as if you were trying to walk through sand.  
Burnout, the doctor said. Something about expending too much strength in too little time, and about stress. You almost laughed.  
Stress is one way to put it.  
So you rest, and eat enough for three, and rest more. Within a couple of days, you're bored out of your mind, especially with the lack of news, enough that you actually try to catch up to your schoolwork, your phone next to you at every moment of the day. It's frustrating, and you have trouble focusing, but it's better than doing nothing, and means less pain when you finally get back to school.  
You kinda miss school. You'd never thought you would, but you miss the people, the routine, the distraction, the chance to see your friends every day. Just when you'd finally been assigned to the same class, too.  
Taiyou comes to visit you. United Sanctuary is being rebuilt, he says, and so is Dragon Empire.  
“It's going to take a while,” he tells you. “But the Dragon Empire Branch Chief really wanted people to keep having fun, so they organised an event there anyway. They built a stage and everything.”  
You chuckle.  
“That's just like him.”  
“Vanguard idols came all the way from Europe and America to help!”  
“Huh, really?” Some friends of Saya's, maybe? Or Jaime's…  
“It was pretty nice. It's just...”  
“… not the same, huh?” you say, quietly.  
“… it's hard to act like everything's normal after you saw all that's happened, you know?”  
“… yeah, I know.” You smile. “But hey. We're fighting so people can still have fun, right? So it'd be dumb to stop doing that.”  
“… that's true.”  
“It's important not to forget why we're fighting,” you declare, determined.  
He giggles.  
“You're starting to sound like Mamoru...”  
“Wh—what?”  
“It's true!”  
You roll your eyes.  
“Nonsense.”  
He smiles.  
“Well… this might be weird, but… I'm glad I was there, in the end.”  
“… how come?”  
“Vanguard's important to me too… and you too. And everyone—Mr. Suzugamori, Mr. Ibuki… Mamoru… if I hadn't been there that day, I wouldn't know what's going on… I wouldn't be able to help. But now I can.” He pauses. “I… I want to help Hiroki, too. I think… I think I can reach him.”  
You smile.  
“I'm sure you can.”

He's been gone for a few hours when Mikuru brings you dinner, the tray still filled with more food than you'd have eaten on a normal day.  
“Y'know, I can probably cook myself by now… you can go back to work if you want...”  
“Nonsense. I'm taking care of you until the doctor says you can go back to school.”  
You sigh. Even now, you feel guilty, especially when she goes out of her way for you. She's worked so hard to make this company work, and still works so hard; to have her skip for so long just because you're stuck at home…  
“We don't even know how much that's gonna take!”  
“I'll wait until you can walk without pain, at least. Then we'll see.”  
“… fine.”  
She smiles, and bends down to pet your hair.  
“That's better.” She pauses. “You're not an inconvenience. You know that, right?”  
“… I know.”  
It's still a hard concept even now, but you do. Intellectually, at least. Believing it in your heart is another matter.  
“So eat before it's cold,” she concludes, standing up again.  
“Mm… thanks for the...”  
You trail off. She's watching through the window, a confused frown on her face.  
“Something wrong?”  
“Isn't that Mr. Ibuki?”  
_… this idiot._  
“What, downstairs?”  
“Across the street.”  
You were right.  
You sigh, hiding a chuckle.  
“He probably came to visit and chickened out.” You pause. “… is it okay to invite him in?”  
“I'm not going to leave him outside, am I? I'll go get him.”

**Ibuki**

“I can't believe you were doing this shit again,” he sighs as his aunt's footsteps fade away.  
You can't help but look down.  
“I'm sorry. I suppose old habits die hard.” And before you can stop it, the grudging relief that makes your heart beat pushes the words out of your mouth. “I tried to walk to calm myself down, and with the stress, my feet had brought me there before I knew it.”  
His eyes widen.  
“… I was going to stay away as soon as I'd confirmed that you were all right,” you finish, too weakly for your taste.  
He sighs and shakes his head.  
“You could have just _come in_ instead of acting like a stalker again.”  
“I didn't want to bother… your aunt probably wants you to herself for a while.”  
He chuckles.  
“More like she doesn't want me to get into more trouble, but I think by now she's figured out Ryuzu might try to get to me even here. We're better off just taking him down when we can.” You look back up at him and he smiles, a small side grin that shows just a hint of teeth. “You're getting sloppy though. I can't believe she caught you.”  
“… she thought I was coming to visit.”  
“Yeah I know. She told me when she saw you.” (You haven't wanted to hide underground this much since primary school) “I told her you felt responsible for what happened so she'd go fetch you.”  
“… that much wouldn't be a lie, at least,” you mumble, repressing the urge to loosen your collar. The weather is getting warmer, you think.  
“Well,” he says, letting himself fall back against the cushions holding him up, “you have good timing at least.”  
“Hm?”  
“I wanted to talk to you.”  
The tightness in your chest spreads to your stomach.  
“… what is it?”  
“I remember the gate.”  
He's said it quietly, but your eyes snap back up to him anyway. He's looking right ahead, mouth tense, eyes much too hard.  
“I remember the gate. It's where you brought me before, isn't it? I… I remembered… when I was fighting Ryuzu.” He stares into thin air. Frowns. Sighs, finally looking back in your general direction, but not yet meeting your eyes. “But I don't remember anything else.”  
“… what do you mean?”  
“I still can't remember anything before that. I don't even remember _opening_ it. He says I did, but…” He seems to hesitate, then looks right at you. “I think I saw Cray through it. I remember fields… cities that don't look like earth… a dragon flying. And then—voices calling for me. Some of them were… scared? And then… and then explosions.” He cringes a little, looks away again. “The rest is flashes… I think… I think my Dad carried me in his arms… along with Chrono Dran. Or I think it's him anyway. It wasn't Ryuzu's voice—I remember _that_ too clearly after the other day.”  
You're the one who has to fight not to look away this time, but your teeth clench anyway.  
“I'm sorry you had to see that...”  
He waves you off.  
“It's fine. We asked—and can you imagine if he'd gone after me before I saw him like that? It'd have been worse.”  
You swallow and nod.  
“… I don't know why it bothers me so much,” he sighs.  
“What does?”  
“Those gaps. I mean, I've had missing memories for—well, as far as I can remember. I'm used to it. I should be _happy_ I'm remembering more, not—even more frustrated.”  
You catch yourself before your hand can catch his.  
“… maybe the rest will come to you with time,” you venture. You can't tell him what you actually want to, that you understand, that you're still even now parsing your own memories for what was real and what was left there by Oksizz, even after it left, what is just dreams your memory filed away as reality. You can't tell him that you're there for him. You don't want to tell him that the certainty of reality might never quite return to him, even if he does eventually remember. “I was told trauma can affect these kinds of things; the events of that day could have caused it.”  
The look he gives you is piercing, and you avert your eyes again. There's something different about him, as if the events of the last few days have hardened him. Sharpened him. Like his body is humming with strength and focus.  
But he's still gentle and still _himself_ , and just sitting close to him makes you feel safer.  
“I guess,” he finally sighs.  
You hesitate.  
“… I… I can tell you what I know, about what happened on that day.”  
He sits up straighter.  
“You know something?”  
“Your father told me. I don't know all the details, but… it may help you fill some of the holes.”  
He nods.  
“Tell me.”  
So you do.

“This wasn't the first time you saw the lab,” you start narrating. “Or Myoujin, for that matter. As I understand it, Rive had brought you along a handful of times, enough that you were familiar with the equipment, and sometimes wandered around to watch people work.”  
“I knew Ryuzu?”  
You nod.  
“Enough that he had no objections to your presence on the day of an important experiment. So I would assume he knew you pretty well.”  
He winces.  
“… are you all right?” you ask.  
“Yeah. It's just—it feels kinda weird. Creepy.” You look at him questioningly, and he makes a face and continues. “After the way he treated me, knowing he knew me as a kid… nevermind, go on.”  
You don't question him, obeying his request instead.  
“The experiment was only supposed to be an attempt at connecting the two worlds temporarily. Opening the gate. Stabilising it, in the best of cases.”  
“So he wasn't trying to summon units at all?”  
“That was part of his long-term goals. But he did not yet have the technology to do so.”  
He nods.  
“The experiment was successful. Against all odds, Rive managed not only to open the gate, but to stabilise it.” You pause. “It is… possible that you participated in that as well, although that is only a theory.”  
“The Zodiac Time Beasts said I opened the gate.”  
You stop, your brain freezing halfway through the sentence you were about to say.  
“… they talked to me,” he adds, quietly.  
“When— _how_?”  
“After I remembered… it was like time got suspended. I could hear their voices… they said they were stuck in the gate. I guess that's why their cards weren't complete. They got summoned, but they didn't get to take form in this world fully.”  
“… but Chrono Dran did. I suppose that makes sense.”  
He looks up.  
“Chrono Dran? He was still here?”  
“He was with your father. He has been in this world for the last ten years.”  
He stares at you. Then laughs, suddenly, pressing his hand to his eyes.  
“ _Thanks_ , Dad.”  
You don't say anything.  
“… well, that explains why he wasn't with them, then. I'd been wondering.”  
“Were all the other ones there?”  
“No.” He shakes his head. “The ones I had Depend Cards for. Chronotherapy Hamster. Chronodoze Sheep. Chronoethos Jackal.”  
You nod.  
“They said… they said Ryuzu is trying to tilt the balance between Earth and Cray.” His eyes narrow. “But you already knew that, didn't you?”  
“I did… I'm sorry.”  
He sighs.  
“Anyway. Keep going.”  
You take in a breath and continue.  
“When the gate was opened, your father and Myoujin had a disagreement. Apparently, Myoujin hadn't revealed his plans to him—the plans you just mentioned. Rive balked in front of the sacrifice Myoujin wanted to make, and tried to convince him to reconsider. While they were arguing…”  
“… I touched the gate.”  
“That's what we assume, yes. No one was looking at you. But the gate suddenly activated, and when they regained control of it, you and Chrono Dran were both standing in front of it.”  
“I think… I think I remember that part… kinda. I remember looking at the gate, at least.”  
He trails off, and you wait, letting him collect his thoughts and memories. He stares into thin air for a while, before letting out a groan of frustration.  
“It's useless. Just keep going.”  
You reach to touch his shoulder, and don't catch yourself on time this time.  
“I'm sorry.”  
He chuckles lightly, almost a snort.  
“Not your fault.”  
Maybe not this. But many things are. But you don't yet have the courage to say everything.  
The information will have to do for now. _That_ he needs and deserves to know.  
“Chrono Dran's summoning forced your father's hand. With a unit already there, he was out of time to try and persuade Myoujin. And if his suspicions were correct and you were indeed the one who had called him...”  
“… then he'd try to get his hands on me too.”  
“Exactly.”  
“… is he the one who destroyed the gate? I only remember people screaming… and then he grabbed us both and everything blew up.”  
You nod.  
“It was still filled with residual energy after Chrono Dran's teleportation. Interfering with the instruments was enough to tip the balance and send it into overdrive. The Stride Force concentrated and made the gate implode.”  
He nods, silently, as if trying to process the information, or maybe piece together the story.  
You stay silent. You need to give him time.  
After a minute or two, to your surprise, he slumps forward slightly, pulling his knees up.  
“C—Shindou?” you ask, quietly.  
“… then why did he leave me behind? If he knew I was the one to summon him… why didn't he take me with him? I was right under Ryuzu's nose… he could have grabbed me whenever. He could have _raised_ me into his perfect Peacemaker.” He chuckles derisively. “Well, then Luna wouldn't have gotten involved, at least.”  
You shudder. The image of Chrono with eyes as blank as Yumizuki's slides into your mind, pulling at your stomach. Chrono moving like a lifeless robot; Chrono following orders with the same blind, misguided faith you saw in Enishi—or, to a certain degree, in what little you saw of Moriyama. You're not sure which is worse.  
Your throat tightens.  
“… Ibuki?”  
You blink and turn back to face him. He's still hugging his knees, but his head is resting sideways on them now, and he's looking at you with an expression of concern.  
“Hm?”  
“You okay? You were breathing weird.”  
You abruptly realise that you were. You're light-headed, and your lungs feel a little too full and tight.  
You force yourself to even it out.  
“I'm fine.”  
“… if you say so.”  
He's still eyeing you. You turn away slightly to continue.  
“Myoujin… Myoujin was unaware. By running away with Chrono Dran and leaving you behind, your father thought to draw suspicion away from you. Even if he was captured, you would be safe. And in the meantime, Myoujin would waste his time trying to hunt him down.” You swallow. “That was what he assumed, anyway. But instead, Myoujin focused his efforts on summoning more units forcefully, without a Peacemaker's power. The physical gate may have collapsed, but the connection you initiated between Earth and Cray remained. Using it… merely required more extreme methods.”  
He stays silent. You force yourself to wait, to follow his example.  
“… well,” he finally says, “he has them now. Got me to summon them for real and everything. So _now_ what do we do?”  
“I have a network of people searching for them around the world. Fully summoned units will radiate significant amounts of Stride Force; hopefully, we should be able to locate them. Christopher Lo is also trying to unravel their data to find if there are any traces of their plans; an undertaking this big cannot have been planned without some significant engineering.”  
“… so we just wait?”  
“You and your friends should wait, yes. We're doing everything we can. In the meantime...” your throat seizes up. You swallow to force it to work. “… please get some rest. You've gone through a lot. Your attempt to summon so many units at once alone could have easily killed you.”  
“So does getting punched by a giant robot unit.”  
You cringe.  
“I'm fine.”  
“He tried it on me too.”  
“Huh!?”  
“In that battle. He didn't wait to finish the fight—he summoned Chronofang Tiger to kill me. That's why I called on my own cards.”  
You stare at him, frozen.  
“… so I didn't have much choice. We barely managed to hold him off, and Chrono Dran was acting scared and couldn't fight… If I couldn't get more help to equal Chronofang's power…” He shakes his head. “If I'd known he was just trying to get me to summon mine, I wouldn't have. But back then… I was sure I was gonna die. So I gave it my all anyway. Better go down fighting.”  
You can't find the words to answer him. What are you even supposed to _say_? The only thing in your mind is a pathetic string of senseless apologies. For hiding from him. For putting him in danger. For trusting him too much and not enough.  
It's like being frozen in place. No matter how hard you try, you can't get your body to move, can't get your lips to move.  
“I...” you finally manage to push out. “I'm glad you're alive.”  
He chuckles.  
“Same.”  
“… will you please rest? I will find them; I promise you. And when I do, I will inform you, Anjou and Kiba immediately.”  
“Is that a promise too?”  
“Yes.”  
The word comes out without hesitation. You're done failing him.  
He smiles.  
“… thanks.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS  
> Enjoy your holiday update (and to those who don't celebrate, enjoy your FREE PRESENT)

**Chrono**

A few days later, you're allowed to walk around properly, although you still struggle to even go to the convenience store on foot. Another week, and you're properly allowed out, granted you take it easy and keep your phone's tracking on, in case anything happens.  
You're still not allowed to school.  
“Both your body and mind are still significantly weakened,” the doctor Tetsu and Ren sent you says. “With the way your attention and awareness falter, I believe a school environment will only bring more stress, and do very little to actually teach you anything.”  
“So what am I supposed to do, then?”  
“You should be homeschooled for a while. At the very least, keep up with your homework. It will keep your brain active.”  
You sigh.  
“I'm gonna go mad if I don't do anything.”  
The doctor shakes his head, hissing little noises of disapproval.  
“You can still engage in your hobbies, or see your friends, as long as it doesn't involve any strenuous physical activity. Maybe this is the time to get a change of air?”  
You groan. Where would you even _go_? You need to be on hand in case Ibuki discovers everything, and besides, you can't make Mikuru take you anywhere. Or homeschool you, for that matter.  
_I'll ask Shion for help on the school thing._  
“… I'll consider it.”

“A vacation?” Shion asks, peering up from the homework he was correcting with you.  
“I know right? How am I supposed to just leave when we've got all this shit hanging over our heads?”  
“It doesn't have to be far away,” Tokoha points out.  
“I could always go see Kanzaki again...” you muse. “But he'd probably try to rope me into rock sculpting again. That probably counts as 'strenuous physical activity'.”  
“You went to see _Kanzaki_?” Tokoha asks, disapproval almost overcoming her disbelief.  
“I went with Taiyou, before… all this happened. He's actually not that much of a bad guy. _Really_ into horses though.”  
“Do I even want to know,” she mutters.  
“ _Anyway_ ,” you continue, “it's not really an option right now. We can go on holiday after we've stopped Ryuzu.”  
“Can you fight in your current state, though?”  
“I don't see why not? It's not like I'm fainting all over the place.” _Not anymore, anyway._ They give you looks of disapproval, and you pout. “Look, I'm getting better at handling it, I promise.”  
“'Better at handling it' implies the problem itself isn't progressing, though,” Shion says.  
“Yeah well it _is_. I'm getting stronger. I just need to actually _do_ things so I can build my strength back. I'm not gonna get stronger by lying around. Now help me with this equation, I can't figure it out.”  
You can tell from their looks that they don't quite believe you. But neither of them says anything, Shion taking your notebook from you with a sigh and reworking the equation out loud instead.

**Ibuki**

“I'm sorry for involving your sister.”  
Mamoru looks up at you with a smile.  
“The way she says it, she and Shion are the ones who involved you.”  
You chuckle.  
“I would have gone after him regardless. They just provided me with the fastest course.” You pause. “It's rather frightening how powerless I would have been without their input. Kiba's tracker and backup are what allowed us to actually reach Shindou, and your sister stalled Enishi and his accomplices, if only for a while. Without them, who knows what would have happened.”  
You fall silent. For a while, Mamoru just looks at you, and although your eyes are cast away, you can feel his like a weight on your skin.  
“… they are growing up fast, aren't they? Us adults will soon be left in the dust if we don't step up our game.”  
You sigh.  
“… Ibuki.”  
“Hm?”  
“I know it's hard to watch someone you care about walk into danger… but we can't protect them forever. When someone grows into their own, the best thing to do is fight at their side, and keep them safe that way.” He smiles, a bit derisively. “Although I admit it's not any easier for me.”  
You look down, sitting back on the chair next to his bed.  
“… I let him go. I thought he would be safe, as long as I kept an eye out. I thought his strength would carry him.” You wince. “And look what happened?”  
Your hands tighten around the fabric of your trousers. It sends little sparks of pain up your arm, but even pain is a welcome sensation right now.  
“… Ibuki...”  
You stay silent.  
“… he fought our greatest enemy alone and survived. That's more than any of us can boast, I think.”  
“… I know.”  
“You cannot protect him from the shadows, Ibuki. He has a mind of his own. Just like Tokoha,” he adds, a smile making its way into his voice.  
“ _I know._ ” You sigh in frustration, then rub at your eyes before turning back to him. “What am I supposed to _do_?”  
_Please just tell me._  
His smile is gentle.  
“Maybe that's something you should ask him, not me.”  
You want to. It nags at your heart, the way you want to just tell him everything and let him decide.  
But what kind of adult would you be? After all you put him through, how can you just drop the responsibility on his shoulders?  
The way he caught you clinging to his presence for reassurance is already distasteful enough.  
Eventually, Mamoru breaks the silence again.  
“How is your arm? I don't see a cast anymore.”  
“It isn't quite healed yet, but the treatment they gave me helped.” You turn back to him, pushing back the sleeve of your coat to reveal the lighter splint keeping it straight underneath. “They said a couple more weeks should do it.”  
“That's good news.” He frowns. “Now don't go driving with it again. Call a taxi if you need to.”  
His serious face gets a hint of a smile out of you.  
“I'll be careful.”

**Chrono**

“Chrono!”  
It's Kamui who welcomes you when you step into Card Capital 2, and before you can say hello, he's dashed around the counter and given you a hug, leaving you blinking and awkward, if touched.  
“H-hi.”  
“Chrono!” Shin says, walking out of his storage room with a smile. “It's nice to see you.”  
“I was worried about you, man!” Kamui says as he releases you.  
“Yeah… sorry about that.”  
“Here, I got something for you.”  
You watch as he strides outside and fiddles with the vending machine. You give Shin a questioning look, but he seems as confused as you.  
“There you go!” Kamui says, walking back in.  
“… chocolate milk?”  
“You need energy after coming all the way here, right? And you gotta get better soon so we can all hang out again.”  
You force a small smile.  
“Thanks.”  
You open the pack and start sipping.  
“Are you here to fight today?” Shin asks as you sit.  
“No… I just wanted to hang out a bit. I like this place.”  
He nods and goes back to his work, giving a shocked Kamui a nudge.  
The truth is, you haven't fought even once since you woke up. The thought of doing so is physically painful, as if trying it rasped at whatever sick part of you is draining your strength. Like scratching at a scab, and feeling your blood flow out.  
Without Chrono Dran, without Chronojet, you feel lifeless. And knowing you're responsible for what happened to them makes everything worse.  
_Chrono Dran is in Ryuzu's hands… but what about Chronojet? Is he safe? Is he hurting, somewhere on Cray? Did he disappear when the cards were stolen from me?_  
And without them, what good are you? What use to anyone? You acted all confident in front of Ibuki, but can you even help him?  
“Hey,” Kamui says as he drops on the seat next to you. “Tokoha told me about what the doctor said.”  
You sigh.  
“I'm getting better. I didn't break a sweat coming here.”  
You did have to take your time, and stopped for a soda halfway through, but that's a detail.  
“Does he know why you're having such a hard time?”  
“Burnout, he said. Maybe something about trauma and stress too?”  
He makes a face.  
“I'm sorry.”  
“Huh? Why?”  
“If we'd gotten there faster...”  
You shake your head.  
“Then what? I don't think any of us could fight Chronofang without help.”  
“… that's true, but...”  
“Kamui! Can run an errand for me?”  
He looks up, looking almost offended.  
“What, now!?”  
“Misaki said it's urgent.”  
He whines and gets up.  
“Fine. I'll be back soon. Chrono, you take it easy, you hear me!”  
You wave at him with a small smile.

You settle down into a corner seat and watch the shop, letting your thoughts drift. At this time of day, it's getting busy, filled mostly with children with a couple of adults here and there. A group of high schoolers laughing as they cheer on two of their fighting classmates. A pair of little girls comparing the art on their cards.  
It feels like home. More than your room, it's the atmosphere here, of excitement and friendly competition and mutual support that sinks into your body and makes you relax. It's warm and familiar, and finally pulls a real smile out of you.  
_The person who grew and learned and met people isn't the same as the person I was before!_  
What would you have been doing right now if you'd never started playing? Coming home from school, still club-less, sit down with a snack, maybe, and stare blankly at something until you can convince yourself to try and do your homework.  
It had been your whole life back then, but now the thought is so empty it just chills you.  
_I don't want to be that person anymore._  
“Um, Mister!”  
You let your eyes idly drift to the counter, where Shin is trying to organise the packs he's taken out of a large box while juggling the phone. On the other side, a little girl, roughly seven or eight.  
“Just a second. Yes?” he asks, angling his mouth away from the phone.  
“Can… can you show me how to play...”  
“Ah, I can't at the moment, but when my part timer comes back, I can have him help...”  
“Okay...”  
She looks crestfallen, hugging her still shiny new deck to her chest. On impulse, you stand up.  
“I can teach you if you want.”  
She turns, gasping as she looks up at you. You do your best to smile reassuringly at her.  
“… really?”  
“Sure. Shin, can I borrow one of your decks? I left mine at home.”  
He smiles.  
“Of course. Yes, sorry for the interruption, this set isn't available yet, but I can—”  
He goes back to his phone, and you crouch next to the girl.  
“What clan do you have here?”  
“Link Joker!”  
You blink. Her smile falls.  
“… is that bad?”  
“Nah.” You smile. “One of my friends plays that clan.”  
“I wanted to play at school, but a boy said they were bad guys… so I didn't…”  
“Do you think they are?”  
“… I don't know.”  
She looks down. You stay quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words.  
“… why did you choose them?” you ask, as gently as you can.  
“My cousin brought me to this other shop during the holiday… and I saw her in the case on the wall.”  
She files through her deck and takes out a card. Recollection Star-Vader, Tellurium.  
“I thought… I thought she looked lonely… so I wanted to play her.”  
You smile.  
“Do you think that's a bad guy reason to play?”  
She shakes her head, shyly. You grin.  
“See? It's not the clan you play that matters. It's how and why you fight. So let's fight with your friend, shall we?”  
She smiles.  
“Yeah!”

“So…” you start, after both of you have drawn a satisfying hand, “the first and most important thing...”  
She gives you a determined nod. You hold back a smile.  
“Did your cousin tell you about Cray?”  
“Yeah. It's the planet where the units come from.”  
“Good. Now close your eyes, and imagine you're there. We can't be there for real, of course, so it's just going to be our thoughts… but if you think really hard, some part of you will actually be there. Like an astral body.”  
She closes her eyes. You don't dare do the same.  
_Stop being stupid._  
“Can you see it?”  
“Yeah!”  
“Okay. Now, we're gonna call for the units who'll fight as us. Are you ready?”  
She nods.  
“Stand up! Vanguard!”  
“Stand up!” she says, just a breath behind you.  
Her first unit is Involution Star-vader, Carbon. You wrench your focus back into your hold and make yourself imagine your own vanguard.  
It hurts, almost. Something is still off, like a part of your skin that's been stripped away. But it's been far too long since you've fought. You miss it. You miss feeling alive.  
You open your eyes. In Carbon's body, her determination comes through, not just in her face, but also in her body, the battle stance she's taken.  
_Fighting for someone, huh?_  
It's a nice thought.  
“I'll take the first turn to show you, okay?”  
“Okay!”  
You draw, ride Final Wrench, pull your starter to the back and side.  
“On the first turn, I can't attack. So it's your turn now.”  
“O-okay. Um. I ride—wait! I draw.”  
“Take your time.”  
She nods, and draws her card, then takes a deep breath before taking a card out of her hand.  
“Ride! Star-Vader, Heliopause Dragon!”  
_Her image is good..._ It's in the way she holds her cards, tightly but not tensely, in the way her entire expression seems to brighten up the longer she plays. You show her how to attack, take the two damage her critical trigger deals you, and ride to grade two.  
“Extreme Battler, Sazanda! And I call!”  
You call Malyaki behind your vanguard, Cool Hank to the right, then attack with your vanguard.  
“I guard!”  
She puts down the critical trigger she just checked. You do your own drive check.  
“Critical trigger! All effects go to Sazanda!”  
She gasps.  
“Wait, that means it still goes through?”  
“Yep. You need to take into account the risk of a trigger when you guard a vanguard.” She nods. “Sometimes when you can't guard enough, it's best to save your guards for the other attacks.” You give her a smile. “Of course, sometimes you just gotta take the risk. It's not always a bad move. It just depends how much you're willing to bet on what your opponent checks.”  
“How do I know when it's worth it?”  
“Experience… and, well, that sort of thing's part of your playing style. The more you fight, the more you'll know what you want to do. And what works best with your deck too.”  
She nods, her mouth set in a tiny frown of determination.  
“Okay… damage check.”  
The first check is a grade 3. The second, a draw trigger.  
“Oh! So I draw?”  
“You draw, and you can give your vanguard power so it'll be harder to hit.”  
“Okay! I give the power to my vanguard!”  
You nod, giving her another smile, but inside you're already questioning yourself. Should you have attacked with the rear-guard first? You have a fair amount of stands, it'd have been wasted…  
_Get a grip, Chrono_.  
“Cool Hank Attacks!”  
“Guard!”  
“And that's the end of my turn. Your turn now.”  
She nods.  
“Here I go… Stand...” she says, carefully standing Carbon, then her vanguard, “and draw!”  
A little smile comes to her lips as she draws, and you feel something twist in your chest.  
_Is this what it feels like, watching someone's passion bloom?_  
Right now, she looks more alive than you feel.  
She holds up the card she just drew, and puts it down on the vanguard circle.  
“Ride! Companion Star Star-Vader, Photon! Call! Flash Gun Star-Vader, Osmium! Star-Vader, Atom Router!” Her mouth is still tightened as she carefully puts down one card after the other, but it's focus, not nervousness.  
_She's trying to prove them wrong..._  
“And… I use Atom Router's skill! Osmium gets five thousand power!”  
You glance at her cards quickly to remember their skill, and wince inwardly, torn between apprehension for the rest of the fight and amusement.  
_Well, she's not on Ibuki's level, but..._  
“Going all out, huh?”  
She looks up, startled.  
“Is that bad?”  
You chuckle.  
“Nah, not at all. It kinda reminds me of someone...” You smile. “Just remember you also need cards to guard, okay?”  
She nods, then looks down at her cards again, thinking for a few seconds before putting her hand down and boosting her vanguard.  
“Photon attacks!”  
_If I block it completely, I won't be able to guard the second one if she draws another trigger… if I don't guard at all she'll give the power to her rear-guard… I'll just have to risk it, I can still afford to._  
“Guard!”  
You put down your critical trigger.  
“… you're doing the same thing as me!”  
“I'm betting you won't get a trigger.”  
Her mouth tightens in what almost looks like a pout.  
“Okay then.. drive check… aww.”  
You grin and put your guard card in the drop zone.  
“Not fair,” she sighs.  
“Hey, that's the game. You gotta take risks sometimes. And that wasn't a bad drive check—you know what that card does, right?”  
She nods.  
“It can guard any attack. Right?”  
“Exactly. Which means I'm gonna have a harder time getting through next turn.”  
“That's true...” She puts the card in her hand. “Then… Osmium attacks!”  
“No guard.”  
You damage check one of your stand triggers.  
“See, that's payback for your drive check.”  
“Huh?”  
“If I'd taken that damage first, I wouldn't have needed to guard as much. On the last attack of the turn, it's useless.”  
“Oooh.”  
“You starting to get a feel for it?”  
She looks up and grins.  
“Yeah!”

You ride to grade three. She's getting the flow of the game better, now, and stays focused, her voice rising in pitch and intensity as she guards your attacks. She's staring at her cards, mostly, but also at yours, calculating, and you think she might actually be better at this than you were when you started.  
_You're not concerned about your opponent's deck, and have no interest in your opponent as a person._  
The memory almost makes you laugh. You've come a long way since then.  
But now that you hear it again, you can almost hear bitterness in the words.  
_A fight reveals everything about a person, huh?_  
How long did it take you? There was so much to see once you finally started paying attention.  
Well, at least, you think he'd probably approve of her. She's already trying to anticipate what you'll do, and she's still on her first fight.  
In three attacks, you only get one point of damage through; you're not sure using her perfect guard so soon was a good idea, but that's the kind of thing she'll learn from experience. And to your surprise, she thought to protect her rear-guard.  
And before long, it's her turn again.  
“Stand… Draw… oh!”  
You blink.  
“Something up?”  
“Oh—no! I just...” She trails off, then focuses again, and from the set of her shoulders you can already feel the wave of attacks coming even as she puts her card down. “I ride Star-Vader, Venom Dancer!”  
“Okay, hold up just a second.”  
She looks up.  
“Huh?”  
“Do you have a grade three in your hand? Or cards with grades that can add up to three?” She looks at her hand, and you suddenly realise you're sounding suspicious. “Not trying to cheat!” you add, waving your hands in front of you. “But if you do, I can show you how to stride.”  
She shakes her head.  
“I don't...”  
“Oh. Well.” You straighten a little, cough lightly. “I'll just show you how it's done when it's my turn, then.” You smile. “But with that vanguard, there's something else you can do, right?”  
She grins.  
“Yeah!”  
Her energy resonates even in you, and you can't help but grin back.  
“C'mon, then, give me everything you've got!”  
She nods, presses her cards to her chest for a second, then puts down her hand face down.  
“Here I go!” She reaches for her drop zone. “I put back four cards from my drop zone into my deck… and look for Sword Viper!”  
“Seek mate,” you tell her, smiling.  
“Huh?”  
“Th-that's what you say! When you look for your Legion's Mate. … I'm pretty sure at least, I've never _played_ a Legion but I've fought against them.”  
“Oh, okay! Then… Seek mate!” She pulls out Sword Viper from her deck. “And… Legion!”  
She puts Sword Viper down next to Venom Dancer, and you think even her shoulders look wider as she looks down at her cards and smiles before calling out her skills, voice excited but merciless.  
“Venom Dancer's skill! I turn over a card in my damage zone… and lock Malyaki!”  
You frown as you turn the card over. Is she just trying to weaken your vanguard by locking this one and not Runbohl? Or maybe…  
“And then… I call Photon! Photon's skill! I lock Cool Hank!”  
_Heeere we go..._  
“Osmium attacks!”  
_If I don't guard it this time and she powers it up later, I'll end up with_ two _omega locks..._  
“Guard!” you call, putting down your stand trigger.  
“Venom Dancer Attacks!”  
“… no guard,” you call, jaw tight.  
“Damage check!”  
Grade three. Critical trigger.  
_Shit._  
“The critical goes to Venom Dancer… the power to Photon!”  
You can survive this, you tell yourself as you draw your first damage. You can—but will you be able to do _anything_ if you can't stride next turn?  
The first card to go into your damage zone is a perfect guard, and you wince. But the second card…  
“Heal trigger!” You sigh in relief as you heal one of your cards. “Five thousand power to Victor!”  
She opens her mouth. Stops in her tracks, surprise and mild offense on her face.  
“… but that means Photon can't hit anymore!”  
You can't help it. You hide a giggle behind your fist.  
“Yeah—but your turn's not finished, right?”  
“Hmph… I use Venom Dancer's skill… turn over a card… you have two locked cards, so Osmium and Atom Router stand! Attack!”  
“Guard!”  
“… I end my turn,” she sighs, a disappointed pout on her lips.  
You chuckle.  
“Don't be so sad—you really had me on the ropes there.”  
She blinks.  
“Really!?”  
“Yeaaaah… And what if you'd beaten me here and I didn't even get to show you how to Stride, huh? What kind of teacher would I be!?”  
She giggles.  
“That's true.”  
You smile. She's getting you fired up, despite how sluggish your body and mind feel, just from her excitement and passion. It makes you want to match her pace, meet her full-on, actually _let go_.  
_And she doesn't give an inch of breathing room, from the very start… what_ is _it with Link Joker players!?_  
“Well… we're both on grade three, so you can Stride next turn if you have what you need… and remember you can generation guard too.”  
“Generation… that's the G units who can guard, right?”  
“Yep! Now, are you ready?”  
“Yeah!”  
“Here I come! Stride… Generation!” You drop your card, and grin at her as she watches you pick your G unit with wide but determined eyes. “Meteokaiser, Victor! Victor's stride skill! When my Vanguard attacks, one of my rear-guard stands, and gets five thousand power.”  
Her lips tighten, but she keeps her eyes on your cards, face hard in concentration.  
“I call… Sazanda, Final Wrench. And now… Final Wrench boosts, and Sazanda attacks your vanguard!”  
“Guard!”  
She's looking up at you, and her eyes spell _I won't lose_. You love her already.  
You want to challenge her with everything you have, no matter how hard it feels right now. _If only I had my own deck..._  
But even with this, you're not exactly helpless. You've fought Kamui enough times to know Nova Grappler isn't to be underestimated.  
“Victor attacks! Sazanda stands, gets five thousand power, and an extra nine thousand from its skill and Final Wrench.”  
Her eyes widen, and you can see her calculating the power in her head, leaning forward a little as if trying to meet your attack with her own body. _Definitely a good image._  
“I'll… generation guard!” She looks up at you and carefully puts down one Tellurium in her drop zone, the gentleness in the gesture a complete contrast to the hardness of her face. “Death Star-Vader, Demon Maxwell. I lock… Carbon! Demon Maxwell gets five thousand more guard! And then—Photon intercepts!”  
_I'll need two triggers..._  
“Drive check!”  
Grade one. Grade two. You sigh.  
“Third check… stand… trigger… come ooon.”  
She _smiles_. It almost makes you laugh.  
“Fine,” you say, “let's go. All effects to Final Wrench. Attack!”  
“No guard!”  
She puts a copy of Venom Dancer in her damage zone. Four damage. You've barely caught up to her.  
But at least, you should be able to defend yourself this time.  
“I end my turn… Cool Hank and Malyaki unlock.”  
“I stand… and draw… Hmm… Carbon's locked… so...” She nods, and drops Garnet Star Dragon. “Stride Generation! I stride… Nebula Dragon, Big Crunch Dragon!”  
_Oh boy._  
“Big Crunch Dragon's skill… I...” she pauses. “Does _that_ have a name too?”  
“Omega lock,” you tell her, nodding and bringing your index finger up.  
“… that sounds cool.”  
You chuckle.  
“It probably means something, but I have no idea. You'd have to ask Ibuki.”  
“Ibuki?”  
“Ah—my friend. The one who also plays Link Joker.”  
“Ooh...” She blinks, and shakes her head. “Anyway! I Omega lock Cool Hank and Runbohl!”  
“Gotcha.”  
You turn the cards over.  
“Big Crunch Dragon attacks!”  
“Perfect guard!”  
_Two cards left..._  
“Drive check… Critical trigger! I give all the effects to Osmium! Second check...” A grade 2. “Third check...” She pouts a little at the empty right corner, then almost _smirks_ as she realises it's a perfect guard, her eyes glinting.  
_She needs to meet Tokoha._  
“Osmium attacks!”  
“Guard!”  
You throw the rest of your hand in front of your vanguard, barely stopping the attack. Even an extra draw trigger would have killed you.  
“… no damage,” she sighs, unlocking Carbon.  
You chuckle.  
“My hand's empty though.”  
“So...”  
“So now, I just gotta believe in my luck. Stand...” You stand your cards, and rest your hand on your deck, taking a deep breath. _Come on… I know we've never been comrades before… but please..._ “And _draw_!”  
Victor. You grin.  
“Stride Generation!”  
She gasps.  
You stride Meteokaiser Victor again.  
_Let's go all out._  
“Stride skill! And Victor's skill!” you call as you turn over another copy in your G zone. “When he attacks, I can restand two of my rear-guards and give them five thousand power!”  
She stares at your field, mouth tight.  
“Sazanda attacks!”  
“Guard!”  
“Victor attacks! Sazanda and Final Wrench stand! Fourteen thousand power!”  
“Perfect guard!” she calls back, almost as loud as you. “And with Cosmo Wreath—I turn back a card in my damage zone!”  
“Triple drive! First check… critical trigger! All effects to Sazanda!”  
She gives a little disappointed whine, her shoulders falling.  
“Second check… Stand trigger! Power to Sazanda! I… stand Malyaki.” _For all the good that'll do_. “Third check… no trigger.”  
She sighs.  
“I lost...”  
“Not yet! You don't know until you've done your checks.”  
“I know, but...” She trails off, then, shakes her head, as if to wake herself up. “Okay! Damage check...”  
The first is Sword Viper. She puts it down in her damage zone with a frown, then reaches for her second card.  
And freezes.  
You wait. Slowly, almost reverently, she brings the card up to chest level, still staring at it.  
“… Tellurium...”  
You smile.  
A little fond smile warms her face as she looks at her card and finally breathes in and lets out a deep, relieved, happy sigh.  
And then her face hardens again, not with a frown but with a fierce almost-smile, and she looks back up at you, brandishing the card in front of you before putting it in her damage zone and swapping out one of her flipped cards.  
“Heal trigger! I heal one point of damage!”  
You nod, and pick up Victor from your vanguard circle to put him back in your G zone.  
“I end my turn.”  
She nods, and gives one last smile in Tellurium's direction before reaching for her vanguard.  
“I stand… and draw!”  
You wait. She looks at the two cards in her hand for a few moments, deep in thought, then at her field.  
“Okay...” she murmurs. “Okay… I can… I can do this!” She looks up at you. “I'm going all out!”  
“You'd better!”  
“Venom Dancer's skill! I lock Malyaki! Carbon's skill! I put him into the soul… and call Atom Router from my deck! Osmium gains five thousand power! And then… I call! Photon! I lock Sazanda! And Heliopause Dragon! I use his skill—he gets three thousand power, and Malyaki is Omega locked!”  
You turn over Sazanda.  
“And with this, you have four locked cards!” she calls.  
Which means two full columns standing, and one of them with that power boost. You won't be able to guard it.  
_Well… I've only seen one heal so far… it's not impossible._  
“Photon attacks!”  
“Guard!”  
“Osmium attacks!”  
You take a breath. Your skin is buzzing, as if your body was _trying_ to meld into the fight.  
“No guard!”  
You check your damage. Critical trigger.  
“Power to Victor...”  
“Osmium's skill! Sazanda is Omega locked! And now…” she says, turning her cards and looking right at you, “Venom Dancer attacks! All my rear-guards except Heliopause Dragon stand!”  
“… no guard.”  
_If I get a heal, I can guard the rest, unless..._  
“Triple drive! First check… no trigger… second check… critical trigger! Power to Osmium, critical to Venom Dancer! Third check… draw trigger! Power...” She looks at your cards, frowning a little, “… power to Osmium! And draw!”  
She stares back at you, jaw tight with focus, her entire body buzzing with the same energy she put into her vanguard. You take a breath and reach for your deck.  
“Damage check… first check… heal trigger!” You take back your critical trigger. “Five thousand power to Victor. Second check...”  
_Come on..._  
You draw your card. Flip it over.  
Perfect guard.

You stare at the card, slowly coming down from your high, your sight almost blurry. She's standing opposite you, mouth slightly open in surprise as she realises her victory.  
You chuckle, and put the card into your damage zone. Around you, you hear gasps.  
Even though it was just a teaching fight, you've gathered a bit of an audience.  
Rubbing at your eyes and leaning one hand against the table, you look at her with a smile.  
“See? You won.”  
She nods, still stunned.  
“She really did save me...”  
“D'you still feel bad about playing them now?”  
She shakes her head, frowning slightly.  
“No.” And then she smiles. “No, I'm happy. It was really fun.”  
_Just what do you think Vanguard is?_  
Somehow, you feel like even you had started to forget.  
“So take good care of your friends, okay?” you say, handing her her deck back. “And if people want to badmouth them? Well, just kick their ass.”  
She laughs.  
“Oh! Chrono!”  
You turn to find Kamui walking towards the two of you, putting his apron back on.  
“I was just helping out since you were out...”  
“No need to give me an excuse! Did you two have fun?”  
“Yeah!” she says.  
“… yeah.”  
It's the truth. Despite how tired you are. Despite the strange feeling you keep having to claw through. Even though you didn't have your comrades at your side.  
It felt good.  
_The person I am now..._  
You take a deep breath, and pick up the deck you borrowed, putting it down in Kamui's hand.  
“Thank you,” you tell your opponent.  
“Huh?”  
“I had fun too. You gonna come back here and fight more?”  
She nods.  
“Yeah.”  
“Good. I'll be looking forward to it. And next time, I'll face you with my actual deck… so you better be ready!”  
“Okay!”  
You nod, then walk back to the counter, where Shin is finally taking a break.  
“Can you help me with something?”  
“Of course!”  
“You've got new Gear Chronicle cards now they're being sold to everyone, right?”  
“Mhm. Why, are you interested?”  
You take a deep breath.  
“Show me everything you have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if you're nitpicky enough to go write out the entire fight like I did you might notice I got one of the unit's power wrong... but I only realised this AFTER scripting the fight with four pages of diagrams and lists and card/soul/counterblast count AND writing the entire fight... so this is an alternate universe where this card actually has that power.  
> I'LL BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME, GIVE ME A BREAK


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And for New Year's... a beach episode

**Chrono**

“So you've finally started making a new deck?”  
You sit in front of Shion's table, cards spread all over in mostly-neat piles.  
“I still want to get Chronojet back… but I can't do that if I can't fight, can I? That's why I need help from you guys.”  
“Sounds good to me,” Tokoha says. “I've been helping with the reconstruction at the branch, but...”  
“What is it?” Taiyou asks.  
“… it's frustrating. I'm really glad it's going so well, and that everyone's pitching in, but… I feel like I need to be somewhere else.”  
“I agree,” Shion says. “We need to focus on training our individual strengths. And this is probably a good way to start.”  
“What do you suggest, then?” Tokoha asks.  
“Tonight, we'll help Chrono remake his deck. Then, tomorrow, we start with fighting him, then each o—”  
He trails off, frowning.  
“What's wrong?” you ask, finally shifting attention away from your cards.  
He brings a finger to his lips to shush you.  
“Someone's there,” he whispers, nodding towards the window.

In a few seconds, all of you have grabbed various weapons and moved towards the door in silent agreement.  
You'd almost gone for Shion's single, trusty frying pan, but Taiyou made straight for it, and with the way he's hiding behind it, you don't begrudge him the safety of it. With time running short, you reach inside the closet for a clothes hanger. If you can just get behind them, you think as Tokoha joins you with a vase.  
Shion doesn't pick up anything, and you find yourself wondering if he's actually been carrying a weapon this entire time.  
You stay silent. If whoever this is can pick the lock, then you don't want to alert them to there being more than one of you.  
(Somehow, deep in your heart, you have zero doubt that Shinonome can pick locks)  
Someone knocks on the door.  
You look at each other.  
_Is it a trap? Or..._  
“Special Delivery!” a voice calls from the other side of the door.  
“Wh—” Tokoha whispers, but you recognise that voice instantly.  
“Jaime!?”  
“Jaime Alcaraz?” Taiyou asks, eyes wide, but it seems he's already heard your outburst.  
“Chronooo! Come on! Open the door, Amigo!”  
“… can't be helped,” Shion sighs, standing up to unlock the door.  
He almost has to jump back as Jaime slams it open.  
“Ta-da!”  
You blink. He's wearing a brightly coloured shirt in flower patterns, a loop of flowers hanging from his neck.  
“Jaime, what are you doing here?” Tokoha asks, still holding her vase.  
“I've come bearing gifts! Here!” Another wreath of flowers goes around your neck. “There!” A bottle of sunlotion lands in Tokoha's arms. “Aaaaaand!” He reaches inside his pocket. “Ta-da! The main course,” he says, brandishing rectangular papers.  
Taiyou carefully bends closer.  
“Plane… tickets?”  
“Not any plane tickets, Amigo. This is a VIP pass to one of the best private islands in existence. Courtesy of Master Leon himself!”  
You all look at each other. Shion raises an eyebrow at you.  
“… Jaime. What's going on?” you try to ask again.  
“I heard _someone_ needed a vacation. And _someones_ wanted training. So I got us the perfect place for both.”  
“Huh?”  
“Trai-ning-camp! Now come on, pack your bags, we don't have forever.”

“Well,” you say, watching the sea scroll past under you through the plane's window, “at least we'll be able to train without being interrupted.”  
“That's one way of putting it,” Tokoha sighs.  
“It's an island, though!” Taiyou says. “With a beach and everything! I've never been to this kind of place.”  
“Well… neither have I, but… will we even get time to _go_ to the beach? We're here to train, right?”  
“We can take breaks,” Misaki says from her own seat, her voice reassuring. “Thinking too hard for too long without interruption isn't an efficient way to learn.”  
“Says the one with a perfect memory,” Kamui grumbles.  
“Oh yeah, Misaki…” you ask, “how come you're coming along? N-not that I have a problem with that—”  
She smiles.  
“I overheard Kamui making plans… and I thought one of you would be greatly interested in training against a proficient Genesis player. Am I wrong?”  
“No, you're right,” Shion answers. “Thank you for your consideration.”  
“You still scared me when you crept up on me,” Kamui complains.  
“You need to get lost in your own thoughts less.” She smiles. “Anyway, aren't you excited? This'll be just like old times.”  
He chuckles.  
“Yeah… it's nostalgic.”

“Okay,” Tokoha says, “I _love_ the whole special training thing, and maybe I _do_ want to go swim a bit later, but… just why are you making us change into swimsuits _now_!?”  
“It's the dress code!” Jaime claims. “You can't go to a tropical island and not wear a swimsuit!”  
“You just made that up!”  
“It's part of the experience! And I'm wearing one too, see?” he adds, removing his shirt.  
“Urgh, whatever, I'll go change,” she says, strolling away with a sigh. “But try anything weird and I'm kicking you into the sea.”  
“Okay! Crystal clear!”  
You hover near the door of your own changing room.  
“What's wrong?” Shion asks.  
“… nothing. I'll catch up to you in a sec.”  
He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't push, walking in himself instead.

When you catch up to the others, Misaki is already leafing through a deck, looking at the cards with a thoughtful expression.  
“I see...”  
“This is according to my latest intel, at least. He may have updated it since, but any experience will be useful.”  
She smiles.  
“Then I suppose I should go all out on you, shouldn't I? Are you ready?”  
“What took you so long?” Tokoha asks as Shion takes out his deck.  
You readjust your zipper.  
“I spaced out. Are you gonna fight now?”  
She nods.  
“Kamui went to get us drinks and set up a table.”  
“… I guess there's no helping it, then.”  
“Hm?”  
“Time to go work on this deck.”  
She smiles.  
“I'm sure it'll be fine. I don't say it often, but… you're good.”  
You chuckle, brushing some hair out of your face.  
“Thanks. It's just… kinda lonely without Chrono Dran and Chronojet.” Empty.  
Her expression softens.  
“You'll get them back. I promise.”  
“Thanks...” You take a deep breath. “Well. Here goes nothing.”

You lay out the cards with Taiyou's help.  
“There are so many units now...”  
“Yeah… I'd been focusing on stuff that works with Chronojet, and the cards Ibuki gave me… but there's a lot more. I'm not used to them yet. Might have to try them out.”  
“You can test them against me if you want!”  
“Thanks… hmmm...”  
You pore over the cards once more, Gear Eagle in your hand.  
“What's up?” Jaime asks, almost making you jump as he appears over your shoulder.  
“I'm trying to decide on a second grade 3.”  
“Ooh, let me see.”  
“I want to use this guy as key card… so I want Gear Eagle as my main grade 3, but…”  
“Think about what you want to do when you _can't_ ride Gear Eagle? Maybe something with an on-ride skill...” Taiyou suggests.  
“Hmm… yeah, you're right.” You scan over the cards again, trying to sort through their skills mentally.  
“Well! Personally, the one I recommend would be… this one!” Jaime says, pointing to a set of cards.  
Steam Maiden Elul. You ponder her skill for a moment. The quick power up is attractive, especially since it doesn't require a generation break, and the gradual rise in power as you stride and generation guard could be a compensation for not riding your main vanguard, but…  
“Come on, Amigo! Ride it!”  
You pause. Frown.  
“… you just want to see me ride it, don't you?”  
“I'm just trying to help,” he answers with a wink.  
“Then...” Taiyou starts, pensively… “Oh, wow, I suppose...”  
“Wh—Taiyou, not you too! Stop imagining that!”  
Jaime bursts into laughter. You shoot him a dark look.  
“Y'know what? Nevermind. I think I'm gonna try this one,” you say, picking up Kug-bau from a nearby pile. “I could use some time-leaping ability.” _And some counter-charge..._  
“Hmmm… not a bad choice either,” he says.  
“So that's settled, then. Taiyou, can you help me test it?”  
“Not bad indeed...” Jaime continues, voice still dreamy.  
Your brain finally adds up the pieces.  
“ _Jaime!_ ”

After a couple of fights and a few more adjustments, you finally meet back up with Shion and Tokoha.  
“Misaki really is merciless,” Shion sighs, “but I think I'm starting to get a feel for how the deck works. If I can predict his strategy from the moment a card is put into the soul, then I can plan and counter it ahead of time.”  
“That sounds like a pain,” you say.  
“He is.”  
Tokoha sits back next to you, putting her drink down on the table before lying back into her chair.  
“Well, I for one am getting used to this whole luxury island thing. Those drinks are _good_. Makes the swimsuit worth it.”  
“Speaking of which,” Shion says, straightening, “Chrono, are you still feeling weak? You've kept your jacket closed all this time.”  
“Ah… a bit. But I'm fine, I'm just being careful.” You take a sip of your drink. “So, are we fighting after lunch?”  
“Sounds good to me,” Tokoha says.  
“Then we should keep notes on our fights, and compare them afterwards to sharpen our strategies...”  
“OH NO!!!”  
You jump in your seat at the scream. If it hadn't been for the words, you could almost have thought someone had been killed, from the desperation in Jaime's voice.  
“Wh—what happened?” Taiyou asks.  
“The _food_! The lunch, the wondrous, stupendous, marvelicious Special Lunch I brought specially for all my amigos…” Next to you, you hear Tokoha slump to the table. “It's _gone_! I made a mistake and left it in plain sight, and now! Now it got carried away! How will I cook lunch now? How will we _eat_?”  
“Um...” Taiyou tries to provide, “I'm sure the island staff can still find us food, you don't need to beat yourself u—”  
“This just can't be! I can't let my amigos starve. Please! Try3! I beg of you! Please bring me my lunch box back!”  
_Oh my god._  
You exchange a look. Tokoha's reads 'he's kidding, right?' while Shion's mostly resigned one makes you think he'll come with his own personal food in the future.  
“Pleaaaase… My honour depends on it...”  
“Urgh,” you say, downing your drink before standing up. “Fine. Where's your thing.”  
“Wait, Chrono,” Shion calls out. “Should you really be walking uphill in your condition?”  
“If I collapse you can kick my ass, but if you try to stop me, I'm kicking _yours_.”  
He rolls his eyes, but smiles.  
“I won't hold back.”

If you're completely honest, you _had_ been worried about your ability to climb too. But as you start making your way up, you find out that it's not as bad as you thought.  
It's not even that you get winded. The strain manifests more like a deep ache in your body, a feeling of weakness, of emptiness. It's nothing like any kind of tiredness you've ever felt before, and you wonder if you can find a way to explain it to them.  
But they don't ask. As you walk, you start getting into the entire thing, despite Tokoha's complaining, and it almost makes you forget.  
“So much for special training,” Shion sighs as you pick the right path on an intersection. “This is such a waste of time...”  
“Let's just get the damn thing back so we can eat,” Tokoha answers.  
They press on ahead. Rather than call for them to slow down, you just keep your pace, letting yourself slip behind a little.  
The forest around you grows tall and thick, and its shadow feels strangely nostalgic. Lagging behind alone, you find yourself listening to its sounds, wrapping yourself inside its atmosphere.  
_It's just like..._  
You get snapped out of your thoughts by a small yelp coming from ahead.  
“Tokoha!?”  
You run forward. A few dozen meters ahead, you find Tokoha leaning against a large rock, making a face and putting her weight off one of her feet.  
“Hey, are you all right?”  
“I'm fine...”  
“Tokoha!”  
Shion catches up to the both of you, jogging down from the path ahead.  
“What happened?”  
“It's nothing, I just got a blister...”  
“Why didn't you say so?” he asks.  
“I didn't want to slow you down! And then I got worried for Chrono and got distracted… so I tripped on a stone and...”  
“… I didn't want to slow _you_ down,” you add, sheepish.  
Shion sighs.  
“Why are you two so...”  
“That's fun coming from _you_ , Mr. I'll-do-everything-my-damn-self. You barely even let us check on you when you moved in, and these days I can barely even catch you after school because you're gone the second the bell rings! If Chrono hadn't asked for help we wouldn't be meeting up at all!”  
“That's...”  
They both fall silent. You push away a sudden wave of dizziness and step between them, quietly.  
“Let's find somewhere we can sit and find water, okay? I think we need a break.”

You help Tokoha to a nearby river, thankfully not too far from your chosen path.  
“That should do it,” you say, bending down to scoop water to help cool down her foot with.  
“… are _you_ all right, Chrono?” she asks. “Your face is red… and you've been sweating a lot for a while now.”  
“Yeah, I'm fine. I just got a little winded...”  
“Chrono.”  
You pause at the tone in Shion's voice.  
“You've been constantly re-adjusting that jacket, and you've kept it on and closed even when you're obviously struggling with the heat.”  
“… sorry.”  
You look down. He stays silent, but after a few seconds, Tokoha bends down a bit to rest a hand on your shoulder.  
“Chrono… tell us what's wrong.”  
You sigh. Nod.  
“Hold on.”  
Straightening and standing, you zip down your jacket to reveal the still-healing scars on your stomach.  
Immediately, the two of them gasp.  
“I'm fine,” you reassure them before they can ask questions. “It's healing, it just _looks_ scary.”  
“Chrono, what _happened_?” Tokoha asks.  
“… when I was fighting Ryuzu… when I remembered… I got angry… he knocked me out with—Ibuki said it was probably a stun gun, from the marks.”  
“ _He what!?_ ”  
“I woke up in that mansion hours later...” You sigh. “It's fine now, but it hurt for a while. Like I got hit by a car or something.”  
The actual shock had felt like a knife in your stomach, but you don't need to say more. They're already horrified.  
“I'm going to _kill_ him,” Tokoha hisses.  
In the wake of her outburst, silence falls. You look at the river, trying to put words together.  
“… y'know…” You take a deep breath. “I almost went with him. I already told Shion, but…” You sigh. “At first, I kinda got where he's coming from. Wanting to eliminate all pain… war… to make everyone smile… He said he could do all that, so I kinda thought… If a perfect future means everyone really can smile and be happy… if I can get that kind of future for you guys… then maybe I should follow him.” You shake your head, thinking back to the way he'd looked at you, all that following evening and day, when you'd actually gone to fight him. Superior. Manipulative. Condescending.  
And yet, somehow, disarmingly earnest and pained sometimes.  
“… for a moment, I actually kinda thought that. But… even though he says he's doing it to make everyone happy… he doesn't care about sacrificing some. Units… Cray itself… Even the people close to me, and after he told me I could get that future for _them_ —” You wince. “How would I live with myself if I grasped the future by doing something like _that_?”  
“Chrono...”  
You turn back towards her.  
“So I'm not gonna join him. I can't follow that kind of thinking. I'm gonna fight him… not just for the sake of the world, but for my own future.” You pause. “… so I thought I'd tell you two clearly. So there wouldn't be any doubt. Especially after...”  
They smile.  
“You're saying that like we don't already know that,” Tokoha says.  
“I never had a single doubt,” Shion agrees, smiling smugly.  
“You guys...” You chuckle. “Stop saying it like that, it makes me sound stupid for wanting to say it.”  
“We'll fight with you, Chrono,” Shion says.  
“That's right,” Tokoha adds. “We've both got something to get back from them too, after all.”  
“… thanks.” You push hair out of your face, and crouch back down to get some water on her foot. “Here, let me take care of this...”  
Shion chuckles.  
“Bandaging should do it, Chrono.”  
“How about _you_ do it, then?”  
“My pleasure.”  
You glare, but sit back, enjoying the sound of the river and its coolness against your hand instead.  
“… y'know, this isn't such a bad place. Maybe we should stay a bit longer.”  
“As long as you don't run off on your own again,” Tokoha points out.  
“I get it, okay?” you fight back, but you can't help but smile anyway. “I won't do it anymore. And it's not like I can do it _now_ anyway.”  
“Good point.”  
“You scared the wits out of me,” Shion chides.  
“I never thought I'd hear you admit you're scared of something,” Tokoha mock-mutters.  
You laugh.

“While we're at it,” Tokoha says once you've started walking again, at a much slower pace this time, “Shion, _you_ got involved with some pretty shady people while we weren't looking.” She glares, then softens a little. “… are you okay? You never would tell us...”  
“I'm fine. It's because I decided to solve the issue with the Kiba Group myself; the deals that led to its takeover were underhanded, so I had to immerge myself in that to find out the truth.”  
“Hmph… I guess your biker guys weren't too bad, though. They helped us save Chrono, after all.”  
“They're surprisingly reliable. And friendly. I must admit they changed my view on certain things… I really was sheltered until now.”  
“Sheltered you wasn't so bad. It was fun watching you get excited over taking the train.”  
“I'm sorry for worrying you, though. I'll try not to do it so much in the future. You two are the reason I was able to stay myself, after all. I owe you.”  
“Damn right you do.”  
“And it's not like I'd be able to with you there nagging at me anyway,” he teases.  
“Excuse _you_!”  
You laugh.  
“… that being said,” Shion says. “I don't intend to stray from the path I'm on. And that means that I can't let Ace—Am off the hook for what she did.”  
Tokoha falters. He slows down, letting her stand on her own, but not moving far enough that she can't hold on to him if needed.  
“… I know Shinonome and Myoujin are directing her from behind the scenes… and I do feel sorry for how Rummy Labyrinth is being used… but I personally can't save them.”  
He falls silent. You hold back the urge to shuffle awkwardly.  
“I'll do it myself, then.”  
She raises her head, looking him in the eyes.  
“Look, Shion, I know where you come from. But it's my fault Am went that far… and my fault Luna got involved. I had a chance to stop them… but I didn't. I didn't convince Am to stop. I didn't tell Luna to stay. I thought it was the right thing, I did it for their sake, but… now Luna is like this because of me… and because of my mistake, Dragon Empire was almost destroyed… And my brother...” She trails off. “I should've stopped them no matter what. So it's my responsibility. I'll get them back, no matter what it takes. And _then_ , when I've saved them, I can give them a piece of my mind. And then… and then I can apologise to the both of them.” She smiles, looks from Shion to you. “They're my friends after all… just like you two. And I didn't give up on you… so I'm not giving up on them either. Tokoha Anjou's friendship isn't to be taken lightly!”  
“I wouldn't dare,” you tease. “Just don't try to take the weight of the world on your shoulders, okay?”  
“Like _you_ can talk!”  
“Learn from my mistakes!”

You finally reach the top a few minutes later.  
“… well… the view is worth it, I think,” Shion says.  
“It's so beautiful… I've never actually seen this kind of landscape before...”  
“Really?”  
She turns towards you.  
“What, have you?”  
“… now you mention it, we never had time to go on holiday much with Mikuru's schedule… maybe Dad took me when I was a kid?”  
“Chrono! Tokoha!”  
You turn back towards Shion, then towards the area he's pointing to.  
There, sitting smugly on a protruding rock, two large cooling boxes.  
“ _Finally_ ,” Tokoha cries out.  
“… flew off, my ass,” you mutter. “Well, let's get these back down.”

“Welcome back!” Taiyou calls out when you finally reach the beach.  
“Sorry it took so long,” you say, “Tokoha caught a blister so we had to take it easy.”  
“Like _you_ didn't slow us down by falling down on the way back. You weren't even carrying anything!”  
“Did you _have_ to rub it in!?”  
“Well,” Taiyou says, smiling, “I'm glad you're back saf—Chrono!”  
You wince, then take off your opened jacket completely.  
“I'm all right, I promise. Sorry for hiding it from you. I'll explain on the way back, that okay?”  
He nods silently. You smile.  
“So! When are we eating, I'm starving!”

You help the others prepare the staggering amounts of seafood, teaching Shion how to gut a fish and letting him and Kamui handle the grill while you and Misaki take care of the more delicate cutting.  
Your spirits had already been high after your walk with Shion and Tokoha, but getting to focus on cooking cheers you up even more. The familiar motions and appetising smells make you feel relaxed and comfortable, but more importantly, they make you feel like yourself.  
“I haven't even touched most of these before,” you confess to Misaki.  
She smiles.  
“I have, although I'm not usually the one to prepare them. Shin is very fond of seafood.”  
“Really?”  
“He made us a lunch box with lobster in it, once.”  
“… you're kidding, right?”  
“And then he forgot it at home, and our cat ate it,” she sighs.  
“… somehow, now I actually believe it.”  
She smiles.  
“You should talk to him someday.”  
“What do you mean? I talk to him pretty often, don't I?”  
“Not in that sense.” She opens another seashell and drops it into the water. “… I'm not sure how aware you are of the fact, but Shin knew your father quite well. I only met him a few times, personally, but the two of them were close.”  
“… oh.”  
“I'm not sure why he didn't talk to you in detail about it until now. But I'm sure he will if you confront him about it.”  
You take a moment to let it sink in, then nod.  
“… thanks, Misaki.”  
“You're welcome. I hope it actually helps.” She smiles. “He needs to be shaken up a little every now and then.”  
You laugh.  
“I'll be sure to do that, then.”

You spend the afternoon fighting, and only go into the water at sundown.  
“Aaah, it's still warm...” Tokoha sighs in pleasure.  
“Better than the last time you brought us to the beach, Chrono, right?”  
“Come off it!”  
“Watch out!”  
You turn at Taiyou's voice just on time to get completely drenched as Kamui jumps into the water next to you.  
“Hey!”  
He comes back up, wincing and rubbing his ass.  
“Ouch, that hurt.”  
“That's what you get for doing this in shallow water,” you sigh.  
“Hey, it was worth it! So, who's swimming with me? The last one to the other end of the beach is a loser!”  
“You're _on_!” Tokoha seethes, and before you and Shion have time to react, she's launched herself after him.  
“What children,” Shion sighs.  
“I'm… just gonna enjoy these waves.”  
“Are you feeling better? You've been spacing out less, this afternoon.”  
You hadn't even realised.  
“… I guess so? Maybe I _did_ need some exercise after all.”  
“Does that mean we should go walking tomorrow again?”  
“Maybe focus on fighting first.” You sigh. “This deck isn't _bad_ , but it still doesn't feel right.”  
“You've fought with Chronojet all this time. Adapting to a new playstyle is going to take a while no matter what.” He smiles. “Especially for someone as straightforward as you.”  
“Wow, _thanks_.”  
“Maybe you should test it against different people,” he suggests. “It'll give you a better feel for it.”  
“… that's an idea.” You sigh. “I just don't like waiting. What if Ryuzu makes his move tomorrow? We have to be ready.”  
“Patience is important, Chrono. Rushing in won't do us any good.”  
You wince.  
“I know, I know.”  
“At any rate, as far as we know, he should still be missing one unit. You didn't see all of them, right?”  
“… that's true.”  
“So we have some time to prepare until then. And if we're lucky, we can stop him before he even does summon the last one.”  
“I hope so.”  
But you're not counting on it.

It's already night when Tokoha and Kamui catch up to you.  
“That's it, I'm not moving anymore today,” she claims, collapsing next to you.  
“Kamui's training is always intensive,” Shion agrees, nodding wisely.  
“That's… not the same thing,” she says.  
“I'm wiped out too.” You lie down next to her, and rest your head on your arms. “But I feel better.”  
“Good. See, you did need a holiday.”  
“I guess...” Something flashes in the sky above you. “Oh, look!”  
Tokoha catches on and looks up too.  
“A shooting star!”  
“Come to think of it,” Shion says, lying down next to the two of you, “wasn't _that_ what you wanted to show us when you dragged us to the beach last year?”  
“Last year?” Taiyou asks.  
“When we got depressed after losing to Demise, Chrono took us to the beach. It was kind of terrible, honestly.”  
“It was raining the entire time,” Shion continues. “So none of the activities he'd planned worked out.”  
“Except the fishing.”  
“But we got drenched.”  
You rub your eyes, hiding your embarassment.  
“But in the end,” Tokoha says, “even though we didn't see shooting stars, we got to see fireworks. We got a unique view, too.”  
“I probably shouldn't be the one to complain about this, but… what a fiasco, right?”  
“Well, we're looking at them now,” Shion points out. “Maybe the universe was just telling you it was saving the good parts for later.”  
“So what, it was destiny?”  
“Maybe.”  
You're about to point out that he's almost starting to sound like Ryuzu when Tokoha speaks up.  
“I'm thinking of going abroad after middle school.”  
You gasp and turn towards her. She's looking straight ahead, with an expression of determination you know all too well, but there's something peaceful in her face too. You don't remember seeing her peaceful very often.  
“I want to find my own path… do to Vanguard in my own way, a way that's different from my brother's.”  
“That sounds just like you,” Shion says, smiling.  
“Good luck!” you tell her.  
“What about you, Shion? You're going to take back the Kiba Group, right?”  
“Of course. But once that's done, I want to get started on something new.”  
“Huh? Something like what?”  
“I'm not sure yet. But I want to do something to support fighters who can no longer play Vanguard. After all, I almost gave up myself, once.”  
“Makes sense.”  
“It's a nice idea,” Tokoha says.  
“What about you, Chrono?” Taiyou asks.  
“Ah… I…” You think about it.  
_Vanguard is supposed to be fun. It's a bond between people. Between people and units._  
“I wanna fight more. Have fights that are _fun_ , and meet people with them...”  
“Why not sponsor a shop tournament, then?” Tokoha suggests.  
“Who, me?”  
“You could reserve Card Capital 2 for it,” Shion agrees. “I think it's a good idea. Small goals are nice too.”  
You laugh, quietly.  
“… I think I want to do something for children, too.” You think back to the little girl you fought the other day. To the children in the institution, those in your own orphanage. To Taiyou, who's standing at your side now because fighting gave him the courage to face himself. “I dunno what yet, but...”  
You're Generation Master, and that means you could try and become Clan Leader. You could be to others what Mamoru and the Dragon Empire branch chief have been to you. It would be a good way to repay their kindness.  
And it could be, in a way, something to achieve the desire Ryuzu planted in you. Maybe you can't eliminate war, but you can bring smiles to children's faces. And you would do that without sacrificing anyone for it.  
But you can't let yourself think about it too much. Not yet.  
_Defeat him first. Then you can show him how things are really done._  
“Well,” Tokoha says, “I can't help with that, but for your tournament, why don't we ask Shin and Misaki?”  
“H-hey, don't be too hasty, it was just an idea!”  
“I'll help out!” Taiyou pipes up. “I help out all the time at the branch, so you can leave the organising to me!”  
Your cheeks feel warm.  
“I… thanks, Taiyou. I'm counting on you, then.”  
“I shall dub this tournament… the Swirl Cup,” Tokoha announces.  
“Who said _you_ get to decide!? It's my tournament, isn't it?”  
“See, you're already getting invested! I knew it was a good idea.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter this time... And finally back to Ibuki's POV

**Chrono**

You take a plane back the next afternoon, feeling physically tired but mentally rejuvenated.  
 _Could use about a week of sleep..._  
But there's something else you want to do first, before you go home and collapse into bed. So the moment you land, you take out your phone and call Mikuru.  
“Chrono!” she exclaims at soon as she picks up. “Are you doing okay?”  
“I'm great! Just a bit tired.”  
“How was training? Try to warn me more in advance next time.”  
You laugh.  
“You can blame Jaime and Kamui for that one. But it was good.” You pause. “Say, Mikuru, is it okay if I come home a little later than planned?”  
“Huh? But I wanted to eat together...”  
You wince. Meals with Mikuru are precious enough that you don't want to waste them.  
“… if I take an hour and half at most, it'll still be time for dinner, right? Is that okay? I can try to go tomorrow otherwise, it's just… important.”  
Even through the phone, you can hear the smile in her answer.  
“That's fine. I'll keep things warm for when you get back.”  
You smile.  
“Thanks, Mikuru. I'll be quick.”

You walk into Card Capital 2 not long before closing time, and hang around the edges until the only other customer leaves.  
“Chrono,” Shin calls. “Did you want something?”  
“I just wanted to talk, honestly.”  
“I see. How was your training camp? Did you sort out your feelings a little? And that deck you were building?”  
“Yeah.” You smile. “I think I can move forward now. I really need to.” You pause. “Shin… you knew too, didn't you? About my dad being alive.”  
He gasps. You keep your eyes firm, as much as you can.  
You can't walk forward if you flinch.  
“… yes,” he finally sighs. “I'm sorry for lying to you. I had my reasons… but you ended up getting hurt as a result.”  
 _Thank you._  
You take in a deep breath.  
“It's fine. That's in the past now—but I have a request.”  
“What is it?”  
“Can you tell me about my dad?”  
He looks at you in silence for a few seconds, then smiles slightly.  
“Why don't we sit down and have a drink? I'll close.”

You let him treat you to a drink at his insistence.   
“I see you're developing an adult's taste,” he teases, handing you the requested can of coffee.  
“Huh?”  
“You used to hate bitter things as a child. Even dark chocolate.”  
“Really? I've been drinking coffee for a while though.” You can't remember how long, but you do remember the teasing Mikuru put you through. “Mikuru said it was my one food vice in a sea of health.”  
He laughs.  
“Well, she did also say that sometimes you're more of an adult than all of us. You grew up early.”  
You roll your eyes, chuckling.  
“And yet she still tells me off for oversleeping even though she does it all the time.”  
“She worries about you,” he says, gently. “You truly are a son to her. Although sometimes I think she sees you as a little brother too.”  
“I… I kinda feel the same.”  
It's a strange realisation. For the longest time, you didn't feel like you really had your place with her, in that home she was trying to build. She was your guardian, but you didn't allow yourself to think of her as a parent.  
Now, though, you do. Maybe not outright as a parent; it's too nebulous a concept to really put into any specific role, but definitely as a family.  
Thinking about her reminds you that you're on a schedule. You take a deep breath.  
“About my father.”  
“… yes.”  
“I remembered what happened the day he disappeared… and Ryuzu and Ibuki both told me a few things… but I still don't know much about _him_.” _Or about myself._ You turn towards him. “What was he like back then? What kind of person _was _he? You two were on the same team, right?”  
Slowly, a nostalgic smile replaces his look of shock.  
“That's right. Your father… Rive Shindou was my mentor… but also my rival and friend. The team we built, Team Nippon, consisted of him, myself, and a third friend: Mark Whiting. The three of us had one goal in mind: The National Championship.”  
“You played at that level!?”  
“What's that supposed to mean? Did you think I was just a casual?”  
“N-no. Sorry. I'm just surprised.” You pause. “I have a few photos of him, but I never saw any Vanguard related stuff.”  
“Mikuru… held a grudge towards it after what happened. And, for a while, towards us too. That's better now, of course, but...”  
You nod.  
“Yeah. Sorry, keep going.”  
“We trained intensely every day… but at some point, your father started leaving early almost every day. Not to go home, but to participate in something called the Vanguard Exchange Club.”  
“Vanguard Exchange Club?”  
“As I understand it, it was a template for what later became the Vanguard Association.”  
“So it was—”  
“Ryuzu's, yes. But at the time, all it claimed to be was a club that promoted cultural exchange and the development of friendships through Vanguard.” He chuckles. “At the time, I resented it. It was a noble goal, but I was jealous, and bitter about the way our goals took second place. It was immature, of course. But now… I wonder if I had sensed something was off.”  
“… what was _he_ like back then?”  
“At that point, I still hadn't met him. Rive would just leave after training, and he didn't go much into detail about the whole thing, or about Ryuzu. He kept that part of his life separate.” He sighs. “Maybe that should have worried me the most. But when it came to his fighting ability and his dedication to Vanguard, at least, my fears were unfounded. Despite my frustration with our training schedule, we won the National Tournament.”  
“Woah!”  
“See, you _did_ think I was a casual.”  
“N-no, it's just—there's high level and there's winning the freaking national tournament! Why are you just shopkeeping now? You could be a pro!”  
He smiles sheepishly.  
“The truth is… I was already stretching it by training for this tournament. I was still young, but...” He sighs. “This is something Misaki should have told you about, not me, but since we're already on the subject… until Misaki came of age, I was her guardian, much in the same way Mikuru is yours.”  
“Huh?”  
“She lost both her parents as a child. Although she was older than you were when Rive disappeared.” He sighs. “Honestly, looking back, I was probably a little negligent, although I tried my best. But the responsibility of caring for a child, even one I loved deeply, and managing her shop until she reached adulthood, was too much for me at the time. I did it, but I wasn't the best guardian at first. And Misaki being so quiet and independent by nature did not help; at first, I didn't notice my neglect was hurting her.”  
“… oh...”  
“Things got better later. After your father's disappearance, I changed my priorities. So I focused on the shop more, to actually bring the smiles Rive had wanted to bring, rather than focus on glory. It took Misaki a while to really open up to me, though.” He smiles. “That's why I'm glad to see you getting along so well with Mikuru. She's done a much better job than I have. Although maybe it's not that surprising: you two were already very close back then. But to go back to what I was saying… We won the tournament. And with that, the path to the World Championship opened. We had six months to get ready to face that challenge.”  
You nod, and take a sip of your coffee.  
“… that evening, as we celebrated, I finally opened up to Rive about my misgivings. I wanted us to focus on the tournament alone, and thus, his time at the Vanguard Exchange Club was only getting in our way.” He pauses. “… So I asked him to quit.”  
“Huh?”  
“He refused. And there was something about his response that bothered me even then.” He takes a few moments to word his answer. “He said, 'I want to help Ryuzu.' Until then, I'd thought he just participated to have fun and meet new people from across the world, but it turned out he was actually becoming a close friend and collaborator to the Club's leader. And what he explained afterwards should, in retrospect, have been my first warning. Ryuzu had big ideas. Ryuzu was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Ryuzu is troubled by the hate and strife happening around the globe.” He sighs. “Ryuzu wants to do something about it, with Vanguard.”  
You stay silent.  
“I argued with him, although not for the right reason. This would be the last time the three of us could compete as a team, with my responsibility to re-open the shop, and Mark's approaching high level university exams. I was desperate to win before that happened. But my worries were dismissed as jealousy. And to be honest, it partly was.”  
You take another sip of your drink. It's hard to picture any of this. You never knew your father was a Vanguard champion, and when it comes down to it, you ever knew much about his personality either. What was he like when he argued? What was he like when he _laughed_? When he won?  
You don't remember.  
“… and then, I met him,” Shin says.  
“Huh?” Your brain catches up. “Ryuzu?”  
“Yes. He came up to me and Mark one day as we were training, asking whether Rive was there. When we told him he wasn't, he started praising us. He was glad he finally got to meet Team Nippon, he said.” He shakes his head. “I challenged him to a fight. If I won, he would stop approaching Rive until the world tournament. I couldn't stop Rive from going to him, of course, but I thought this would be damage control at least.”  
“Did you win?”  
“I did… but it wasn't a satisfying win. Where the Vanguard Rive had taught us was full of passion and fun, Ryuzu's Vanguard was… cold. Ruthless. Unforgiving, rather than challenging. Despite his handsome face and gentle words, there was something… merciless about him. He left with a promise to keep his end of the deal, but I felt more on edge than I did before. And of course, when Rive heard about it, he just laughed and kept going.” He pauses. “I didn't know it then, but by that time, it was no longer the Club Rive was going to. It was the lab. And Rive hinted at it—at something big Ryuzu was trying to do. But I didn't understand. Not until it was too late.”  
“… honestly, it's still hard to believe? _I_ didn't understand what he was trying to do even when it was in plain sight. It took the Time Beasts explaining it to me to get it.”  
“Changing the world's future through Vanguard… Honestly, all I thought it was was some kind of worldwide cheer up thing. A butterfly's wing thing. Make little changes by helping people to make the world better. And I couldn't understand why he'd want that. Now, though… I believe it had to do with your mother.”  
“My mom?”  
“I know you don't remember her; she died so early that you wouldn't have even without your memory problems. But your father loved her a lot. And I think that at the time, he threw himself into Vanguard to make up for her loss.” He sighs. “But now… it seems that what he wanted to do was not to make up for her disappearance, but to erase it altogether.”  
“… oh.”  
“… in the end, I challenged him to a fight. I wanted him to prove that he was still serious about our goal. And he obliterated me,” he says with a chuckle. “… that evening,” he adds, more quietly, “he revealed to me that the research they'd done together… had helped them discover a new clan.”  
“Gear Chronicle?”  
“Yes. It was still unknown to the public, but Rive thought it could be the key to that future.”  
You nod.  
“… and that was the last time I ever saw him. The next day, an explosion happened at the lab. Rive was nowhere to be found, and neither were you. Ryuzu was hospitalised.” He pauses. “For a few days, we assumed both of you to be dead. And then, Mikuru got a phone call from an orphanage.”  
You blink, look up. He nods.  
“They had found a child and taken him in temporarily, although he had nothing to give away his identity. He was under severe emotional shock, and barely responded to questions or moved at all, but he did at least give them his name. You were lucky that yours is rare. Going through a database led them to Rive Shindou's missing son, and Mikuru was able to identify you and prove your identity.”  
“… so he dropped me there.”  
Shin flinches slightly.  
“That… does seem likely.”  
You look down. The more you think about it, the less it makes sense. If he really was trying to make it seem like you weren't involved, why the delay? Why not just leave you at the lab? And for that matter, why did he leave you behind at all, instead of taking you with him?  
“… this might not be the best time to say this, but… the reason I didn't tell you Rive was alive as soon as I heard was because he sealed my lips himself.”  
You look back up.  
“Huh!?”  
“That's what he requested. Or so Ibuki said.”  
So why didn't Ibuki tell you that himself? That idiot.  
“… well. Nevermind him.”  
“Hm?”  
“This is still my responsibility. I'm the one who opened the gate that day. All this happened because Chrono Dran and I called out to each other. If we hadn't… then Ryuzu wouldn't have been able to summon other units during those ten years.”  
“Chrono...”  
“So I'm gonna stop him myself. _For___ myself, not my father. Maybe I messed up and lost the Depend Cards, but I have Shion and Tokoha with me. And tons of people are helping. My friends. Ibuki's friends. So I have to go forward.”  
He chuckles.  
“I wonder where he is now. He should be proud of how much you've grown.”  
“It's hard not to grow in ten years,” you grumble, but he doesn't call out the bitterness in your voice.  
“Is there anything else you wanted to know?”  
There was, originally. You'd wanted to know more about your father himself, not his history. To get a feeling for the kind of person he was. To know all those missing details of your past with him.  
But you realise you don't really care anymore. This battle that he threw you into is yours now. And he isn't here to help you fight it, just like he wasn't there all this time to help you grow.  
You don't need him to fight. All you want is the truth. And you're finally getting it.  
“… I'm good. Thanks.” You smile. “I should get going, I promised Mikuru I'd be home for dinner.”  
He smiles back.  
“Give her my greetings, then.”  
“I will. Thanks, Shin.”  
You drop your can in the bin and walk out.

__

____

**Ibuki**

You go to your medical appointments dutifully.  
It's both to placate Mamoru—and to some extend, Katsuragi and Chrono—who would have frowned if he found out you'd skipped on them as you tend to do, and because it gives you a reason to move around a fair amount.  
You know you're being spied on. There's paranoia, but there's also instinct, and you regret not listening to them last time. So you start moving around more, to keep attention and resources on yourself, and coordinate the search and counterattack from your phone, mostly by text.  
Ren is still out of sight, using his connections to investigate. Kai, in France; you're not sure _how_ he garnered help from Euro league members, but you're not complaining. As for Aichi Sendou, his charisma has gained him access to some of the best equipment his university had to offer.  
That leaves, with Mamoru incapacitated, mostly just you and Christopher Lo in Japan, at least as far as the technical side of things is concerned. You have plenty of fighters ready to join your cause, but you doubt Katsuragi or Chrono would be much use at sorting through data.  
It's less than ideal. But you know, at least, that Myoujin is still missing a unit, and with the GIRS system being dismantled and the Branch Leaders on your side to prevent misuse of FICA, he will be forced to find an alternate way to gather the Stride Force necessary for it.  
Not to mention that you now suspect much of what he did use during the G quest actually came from Chrono himself.   
If you had never involved him, would Myoujin still have been able to summon them?  
You force the thought out of your head. No use crying over spilled milk, and you doubt it would have done much more than stall him anyway.  
Instead, you keep yourself visible, to keep the heat on you rather than your friends—or Chrono's comings and goings.  
Not that he has been moving much, and that still worries you. Not so much for his ability as a fighter—you know that that much won't change, although missing his key unit may slow him down a bit. But because the way he tires out and spaces out so easily makes you worried for _him_.  
You want him to be all right. The idea that he could have been permanently harmed by your schemes and failures makes you feel sick.  
But he's finally moving again. A quick text from him and a longer one from Katsuragi warn you that he'll be away for the weekend. Out of cell phone range, Chrono's warns. Training camp, fun at the beach and some good quality air, Katsuragi's adds.  
You text them back to confirm, and feel just a little lighter.

You're going home from a fast food late night dinner when your phone rings.  
“Kai,” you simply say as you pick up.  
“Are you safe?”  
The street is still fairly crowded. You can afford to talk, although you keep walking.  
“I'm being followed here and there. How about you?”  
“I just had lunch.”   
“I assume you didn't call me for nothing?”  
“… I discovered a large mass of Stride Force.”  
You stop in your tracks.  
“The Zodiac—” you catch yourself. “Where?”  
He doesn't answer.  
“Kai?”  
“… there's… a slight problem.”  
“… what problem?”  
He's silent again, and you force yourself to walk again, waiting for him to answer.  
Finally, he sighs.  
“It's in space.”

You don't waste time. Within an hour, you've gathered Kai's data and sent it flying through encrypted emails to Christopher Lo, Ren, and Aichi Sendou.  
But it makes your evaluation of the situation much worse than you'd expected.  
You've been complacent again. After saving Chrono, you'd thought that the nightmare of stumbling one step behind the enemy at every moment was mostly over, but they have more of a head start than you thought.  
Your plan had been to find the Time Beasts and launch a direct attack. But now…  
“Accessing the Time Beasts in orbit is impossible with our current equipment and technology,” Christopher Lo confirms when you visit him the next day. “I've taken the data from the transference system we cracked, so I'm trying to reverse the process to summon units here, but that's the best I can do.”  
“Can it work?”  
“It's… very tough. If the units themselves woke up and lent me their power, I could maybe manage it.”  
 _That's not impossible_ , you think. But the last time he tried almost cost Chrono his life.  
 _Maybe if one is enough to disrupt the process..._  
“And then there's this,” Chris says, interrupting your thoughts. “I tried to analyse the structure of what I presume is the Stride Gate. But the scale of it is just insane.”  
“That's hardly surprising. It's meant to channel an entire planet's luck.”  
“That would explain it if it was just energy. But at this level, even large amounts of mass could be teleported through it. Once the gate is open… who knows what he could bring in from Cray.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is something some of you have been waiting for for a while ;)
> 
> (whispers comments and theories would still make this writer very happy ~~and faster at writing, honestly~~ )


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Time.  
>  ~~Also you'll make me call it legume messiah over my dead french body~~

**Ibuki**

When you walk out of the lab, the first thing you do is find a crowded cafe and send Chrono a text.  
**We found something. Is there anywhere I can meet you? Preferably not completely in public.**  
It only takes him a few minutes for him to answer.  
**There's that Okonomiyaki place not far from CC2. I've been a few times, it's not very big and the food is nice.**  
**OK. Bring Anjou and Kiba.**  
**Taiyou too. He's already involved, he deserves to know what's going on.**  
Your fingers hover over the phone for a few seconds.  
**I'll leave that up to your judgement.**  
**Okay, noon tomorrow then? I'll send you the address.**  
**That's fine.**

In the end, he texts you a few hours later to warn you that Jaime Alcaraz is also invited.  
**He helped us a lot with that training camp, and it's safer than him getting involved without knowing everything.**  
You don't argue, and instead wait for the next day nervously.  
You show up ten minutes in advance. The place is busy but your table reserved and in a corner, a good combination. You silently thank him for his foresight.  
He's the next one to arrive, with Taiyou at his side.  
“Mr. Ibuki!” Taiyou calls out brightly.  
“Yo. Wow, good thing I reserved a table.”  
You smile faintly.  
“How are you?”  
“I'm good. Camp helped.”  
“That's good.”  
He eyes you for a second, almost suspiciously. Then gives you a side smile and lets himself fall to the floor to sit.  
“Well, the food here's nice. How about you, how's your arm?”  
“Mostly healed.”  
“'Mostly'.”  
“… I've been told to take it easy.”  
He grins at you again. You look away, the skin of your face tingling in the restaurant's heat.  
The door opens, and Tokoha Anjou comes in, dusting her clothes off a little.  
“Oh, good, I'm still on time. Mr. Ibuki, my brother says hello.”  
“Ah—thank you. Were you at the hospital?”  
“Yeah. They're finally letting him into a wheelchair.”  
Chrono frowns.  
“… will he be able to walk again?” Taiyou asks quietly, voicing the thoughts of everyone in the room.  
“… they don't know,” she says, equally quiet. “But!” she continues, putting determination in her voice, “They said there's a good chance. So I'm trying my best on my side.”  
“That's good,” Taiyou says. “I hope we can get Dragon Empire fixed so he can come back...”  
“Yeah.” She sits down next to Chrono. “Wow, Shion's later than me? That's a first.”  
“He's technically not late for another minute,” Chrono jokes, checking his phone.  
Just as the minute ticks past, the door opens again.  
“My apologies. I ran into someone.”  
“A good someone or a bad someone?” Anjou asks.  
“Good, I think.” He looks around. “Is Jaime still not there?”  
“Are you surprised?”  
“… no. I suppose we might as well sit down and wait.”

Jaime shows up a good ten minutes later, and immediately starts chatting about wanting to introduce all of you to Spanish food.  
“You should all come to Europe someday!”  
“Tokoha, didn't you mention wanting to go abroad?” Chrono asks, only to get an elbow in his side.  
“Hey!”  
“Tokoha! You'd visit me!? I'm so touched!”  
“I haven't decided _where_ I'm going yet,” she says, glaring at Chrono.  
“Well, if you do come, I'll treat you to the best restaurants I know. And I have addresses all around Europe.”  
“That's impressive,” Kiba points out.  
“You have to know where to go when you go from tournament to tournament,” Jaime answers with a wink.  
“ _Anyway_ ,” Anjou cuts in, “shouldn't we eat? You had something to tell us, right?”  
You nod.  
“I'll call,” Chrono says.

You finally start preparing the food. Just at a glance, it's immediately obvious that all of them have been here before, or at least done this before.  
You haven't eaten Okonomiyaki since you were a child, and someone had prepared it for you then.  
You observe the others and follow what they're doing as they chat.  
“So, what did you want to tell us?” Kiba asks as you put the final slices on your batter.  
“… we found the Zodiac Time Beasts.”  
“Really!?” Chrono exclaims, leaning forward. “Where?”  
You try not to flinch at his eagerness.  
“… unfortunately, nowhere we can reach them directly. We finally found a mass of Stride Force, and Christopher Lo has analysed the area—it's almost certainly the Stride Gate Myoujin was trying to build. The problem is… it's far above our heads, in satellite orbit. In other words, space.”  
“In _space!?_ ”  
“Ah yes, another Grand Plan from Ryuzu Myoujin,” Anjou sighs, sarcasm written into every line of her face.  
“He stole all of Kiba's fortune, after all, it's only natural.”  
“Shion,” she sighs, “your priorities...”  
“Then all we have to do is jump into a rocket and go-go, right!” Jaime says.  
“It's not that simple. Even if amateurs like us managed to reach it, we'd be in over our heads. There's no guarantee that the facility is negotiable for humans, much less humans unaccustomed to space equipment.”  
“So what do we do, then?” Taiyou asks.  
“We'll deal with them somehow, obviously. Although we can't act on it immediately.” You sigh, straighten. “As the advocate for plan G… I will take responsibility for us being one step behind.” _Again_.  
You bow, and hear them gasp.  
“… please give me a chance and be patient a little longer. We're looking into ways to reverse the process—I swear I'll find a way to stop them. And when that time comes… I will need your help.”  
It's meant for all of them, but you still catch Chrono's eye.  
_I promise._  
He smiles, a hint of a laugh on his face. If you didn't know better, you would almost have thought it fond.  
“You don't need to tell us that. You know I'm already in,” he says, flipping his okonomiyaki perfectly.  
Your eyes are still caught on his when Anjou's voice snaps you out of it.  
“Doesn't matter if they're here or in space; I'm gonna kick their ass!”  
She flips hers for emphasis too. You vaguely start becoming aware that you will have to deal with yours soon too.  
“Then this is the time for us to build our strength, for when that time comes,” Kiba proclaims.  
Another perfect flip.  
Next to you, Jaime mixes up his words—again—but not his food. How many times have they invited him over, that even a foreigner would have this much skill? Kamui's teasing about your lifestyle suddenly bites a little deeper.  
“I'll do my best too,” Taiyou says, flipping his own. “I'll help however I can! So tell me whenever you need me.”  
You can't even make yourself be jealous in the face of such earnest helpfulness.  
“… I appreciate it,” you tell him.  
They're all staring at you. You should have done this earlier, while you still had the chance.  
_It's only food. You have martial arts training, you can do this._  
You slip your spatulas under the cooking batter, raise them.  
Drop half of it into a pile as the weight falls off before you can flip.  
Immediately, Jaime starts laughing, almost choking on it.  
“Wh—dude, just let me take care of it if you don't know how,” Chrono chides, reaching over the table to salvage what he can into a decent shape.  
“It'll taste the same once I eat it anyway,” you all but mumble, leaning back a little.  
“That's not a reason—I'll teach you next time.”  
Next to him, Anjou snickers lightly.  
You decide to ignore her.

You're walking home that afternoon when your phone rings.  
It's Chrono. Your chest lurches a little, surprised—why would he call you now when you saw him mere hours ago?  
You pick up.  
“It's me.”  
“Ah, yeah. Um, hey, do you have time right now?”  
“Of course.” And if you didn't, you'd make it. “What's the matter?”  
“… fight me.”  
“Huh?”  
“I made a new deck—but I want to test it properly. Are you up for a fight?”  
Somehow, you can't help but be a little excited. You haven't gotten to fight him since the G quest, when…  
You swallow and answer him.  
“Of course. Where should I meet you?”  
“I'll pick you up in front of Card Capital 2. Is that okay?”  
“It's fine.”  
“I'll see you there in one hour, then.”  
“Okay.”  
He hangs up, and you keep your phone in your hand for a while before turning it off, lightly leaned against your chest.  
_… stop running._  
He's asked to meet you alone. Without his friends, and without his aunt, and most importantly, without your horrible awkwardness getting in the way and making you chicken out.  
You need to tell him everything. Why you got involved. _How_ you got involved, and your role in bringing him this far, in putting him in harm's way.  
You want him to know. If he decides to hate you after this, well… you'll deal with it. He isn't the kind of person who would flake out of his goal out of resentment. You can handle working with him even if he hates you. And after that…  
After that, if you survive, you'll leave if he asks you to. The idea makes your throat stiff and tight, makes your shoulders tingle with the urge to hunch forward. But after everything you've done to him, you owe him this much. You'll respect his wishes no matter what.  
Part of you hopes that he'll still want to keep you as—maybe not a friend, but a friendly acquaintance. But you can't let yourself hope too much.  
But he needs to know. You can't ask him to fight and not tell him everything about why.  
So you take a deep breath and start walking towards the meeting point.

He's already waiting for you when you get there.  
“Sorry for calling you out of the blue.”  
“It's fine. I needed to talk to you anyway.”  
He nods.  
“… where are we going?” you ask, tentatively.  
“Oh, right. Follow me.”

The place he brings you to is familiar, and the memory hits you suddenly. Instinctively, your hand moves up to your chest, but you catch it halfway, curling your fingers instead.  
“It's been a while...”  
“Let's see if I can actually win this time, huh?” he says with a half-smile.  
You nod silently and set down your half of the table, then pull out your deck.  
“… since Chronojet disappeared,” he starts explaining as you both shuffle your decks, “I figured I should reorganise my deck. I tested it a bit at training camp but… I want you to test how strong it really is.”  
“… you're surrounded by plenty of strong fighters,” you point out.  
_Why me?_  
“It has to be you,” he says, firm and unflinching.  
You stop shuffling, your mind going quiet. Turn towards him a little.  
“Out of all the fighters I know,” he explains, “you're by far the most merciless. That's why it can't be anyone else.” He takes a breath. “I need to know how far I can really go. So… try to crush me with everything you have. Please.”  
“… understood.”  
You wouldn't do it any differently anyway. It would be an insult to his skill.  
“… and then… I got another favour to ask.”  
“What is it?” you ask, quietly.  
He puts his deck down. Looks up at you, eyes alight with determination.  
“I'll tell you... after I win.”  
You nod.  
“Well, then...”  
He nods and draws his starting hand. You follow suit.  
“Here I go.” You reach for Neon Messiah's card. “I'll take first turn.”  
He nods, reaches for his own starter.  
“Stand up!” he calls, his voice almost covering yours.  
Gunnergear Dracokid. Going back to his roots.  
His face is serious and focused. But something feels off. Like the world is tilted slightly off-axis.  
But you can't figure out why. So you draw and ride Asleep Messiah instead, letting him take the initiative of attacking.  
You take Masergear Dragon's attack, ride Awaking Messiah. As usual, the cards seem to come to your hand almost as if guided by magic or destiny.  
You've won most and lost some, but you can't remember a fight where your deck itself betrayed you. Not since you took on Messiah as your vanguard.  
You call Lady Battler of the Gravity Well and attack.  
He guards her attack, lets Awaking's attack through with a small snarl, and rides Smokegear Dragon, calling two other rear-guards.  
You let Smokegear attack, guard his rear-guard. His eyes are blazing still, his body drawn with the tension of his attacks, with the thread of battle that links you to him. Despite yourself, you smile.  
Once again, the cards respond to you.  
“I ride. Alter Ego Messiah.”  
You call another rear-guard, and attack with Gravity Well. He guards. He's on edge still, much more than he was even during the G quest.  
He lets your next attack through. You check a critical trigger.  
“The power goes to Drill Monk,” you state as his eyes widen in alarm. “The critical to Alter Ego.”  
The last attack he guards too. Even pushed into a corner so quickly, he's defending, fighting back with everything he has, putting his luck on the line too. No matter how hard you attack, you've never felt him flinch, instead meeting you straight on with fierce determination.  
It makes your heart beat, excitement you never quite get anywhere else.  
“… I end my turn,” you finally say, straightening with a smile.  
_Come at me, Chrono._  
On his face, the tense expression leaves way to something feral, excited. You breathe in a little deeper.  
“I'm… not giving in!”  
He rides Kug-Bau. It's a unit you haven't seen yet—the first in what he's shown you so far. You quickly check its skill from your side of the table, run it against what you remember of his other units and strides.  
“Kug-Bau's skill activates! When Upstream attacks a vanguard, he gets to time leap.” He pauses, surveys his field, then breathes out and strides Epoch Maker Dragon. “Gunnergear's skill! I choose a grade 3 from my deck and put it into my hand!”  
He chooses another Kug-Bau, and shuffles his deck, before calling another Masergear.  
“No matter what… I'm going to go get my friends back! I'll give all my strength—all _our_ strength to save them.”  
The same determination that drove you forward, not that long ago. _I would have given all of it too_.  
You guard Upstream's attack and he time leaps it into Square-One Dragon. As his combo starts to unfold, you realise you know where he's headed.  
You haven't fought him nearly as much as you'd like, but all of them have shaken you in some way, and you've watched so many of his other fights by now. You know how he works, how he fights.  
And yet. Something seems to be missing. Not in his fighting, not in his spirit. But something.  
He attacks with Epoch Maker.  
“That's the bond we have! And I'm not giving up on it!”  
“Perfect guard.”  
He flinches back, frustration on his face.  
“Drive check!”  
He checks a draw trigger, gives the power to Square One Dragon, his only remaining attack now. You let that one through.  
_You've watched him for too long, Kouji._ The reminder that you didn't come just to fight winds itself around the excitement of fighting him, snuffs it slowly. _Tell him._  
Part of you wants to run.  
_You told him you'd test him with everything you have._  
You can't break your promise. Not this one, not the other one you made him a few days ago.  
“I end my turn,” he breathes out, jaw clenched.  
You take in a calming breath.  
“You did well, setting all this up. But do you really think something like this will break through me?” He looks up and you swallow before meeting his eyes. “I made you a promise… so now I will show you what you wanted to see. A fight without any mercy.”  
His eyes sharpen. Even on the defensive, it's like they bore into you, and you remember when they did, literally, physically, when they left a mark on your armour that could have been on your very body.  
You stride.  
“Ruler of Chaos,” you incant, letting the words build your image, strengthen your heart, “Future connected to a white light! Stride Generation!”  
You place Flagellate Messiah down.  
“A new G unit...” he breathes.  
You don't give him time to take it in. With Alter Ego's skill, you lock Neon Messiah and Upstream Dragon, before calling Destiny Dealer and locking it too.  
“I attack with Dril Monk… His skill gives him two thousand power… and I Omega Lock Neon Messiah.”  
He blinks.  
“It won't unlock at the end of my turn,” you remind him.  
Immediately, his eyes widen in understanding, before sharpening again.  
“But it can still be unlocked by a skill, right?”  
Despite everything, despite the apprehension in your gut, you smile.  
You still want to enjoy what scraps of this fight you still can.  
“You read my mind…” His face softens a little, and you continue. “Using it as a combo with the vanguard's unlock ability essentially nullifies the cost.”  
He braces.  
_Tell him, you idiot. Tell him before it's too late._  
“… there's one thing I did want to tell you,” you say, quietly. As if, if you said it quietly enough, you could just pretend you never said it.  
But you can't, no matter what that part of you wants.  
“What is it?” he asks, preparing to guard.  
“It's… about your father.”  
He blinks, caught off-guard, but still puts his card down.  
“I'm sorry… even though I knew your father was alive, I kept silent all this time...”  
“Why are you bringing this up now?” he asks, confused.  
You close your eyes for a second.  
“Flagellate attacks your vanguard.”  
You go through the motions. Unlock Neon Messiah. Unlock Destiny Dealer. Omega Lock Upstream Dragon. The words fall out of your mouth automatically, mechanically, the same way you used to count hits when training years ago. Taking the strength to go on talking.  
“Neon Messiah's skill,” you intone. “I send him to the soul and add one Alter Ego Messiah to my hand.”  
“Geez,” he sighs, “you're just doing whatever you want.”  
_Don't stop now._  
“… I've been so hard on you until now to make you stronger,” you confess. “It has always been to strike down Ryuzu Myoujin. Everything I've done… has been driven by that duty.” You take a breath. “… Rive Shindou originally disappeared so you wouldn't get involved in this battle… but it soon became obvious that the gate between both worlds could only be opened by your hands. And meanwhile… without an awakened Depend Card to support him, the only way Chrono Dran could survive in this world was to feed off Rive's life force. And while he was waiting, Myoujin was moving forward, and did not balk at any sacrifice in his quest to summon units.”  
You finally look up. He stares at you, dumbfounded, eyes wide.  
“… I was forced to make a decision,” you tell him. You'd hesitated, until the very end. _I can do it in his place. I'll find a way._ But in the end, you'd followed Rive's orders. “Since Rive couldn't move… in his place, I raised you into a fighter who could stand up to Myoujin and take action against his mad schemes. I gave you the Gear Chronicle deck, led you to Card Capital so you could learn to fight, meet others who would help you grow and blossom.” Your throat feels dry. You close your mouth, force yourself to swallow. “As you progressed, I kept sending you new cards… and every now and then, I fought you myself, to test your strength directly.”  
He stays silent. You close your eyes again.  
“The connection between Rive Shindou and Myoujin… the secret ability you hold… everything that happened ten years ago… I knew about it from the beginning.” You open them again, trying to face him. “… but I kept silent.” You can't. Your eyes fall away again.  
_It doesn't matter. Keep talking._  
“… I decided that telling you too much would only hinder your progress,” you say.  
And it's not entirely true, but you did agree to it, and that makes you complicit. What point would there be in washing your hands of your participation? Rive at least was trying to protect him. You had no such reason.  
You reach for your deck. Give him one last look before drive checking. He starts a little, looks at your hand. Tightens his lips. Nods.  
Your second check is a critical.  
He stays silent as you give the power to Gravity Well, and takes his two points of damage without a word.  
_Answer me!_  
Even another lashing you could take more easily than this silence, than this rejection. Even hate you could take better than not existing at all.  
“… everything… everything was a lie,” you breathe out, forcing the words past the dry, raw feeling in your throat. “When I told you I wouldn't involve anyone… when I fought you… the person you faced was a fake representation of myself.” Somehow, with so little words, you already feel out of breath. You inhale, sharply. “I… I have no regrets. It was necessary at the time. But… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything.”  
And just like that, you feel empty.  
_It's over._ Your speech. Your secrets. What little relationship you'd foolishly allowed yourself to build.  
And even now, you're lying to him. Because even though it may have been necessary, you'll never forgive yourself for what you did to him.  
If falling to your knees hadn't been a pathetic attempt at pressuring forgiveness out of him, you would have.  
And he guards, finally. Still silent, but determined, as if the fight hasn't gone out of him. You look up at him, your breath short.  
And he's _smiling_.  
You stay frozen.  
“After _all this time_ ,” he breathes out, derisively. And then he looks up at you, finally. “I already knew all of that.”  
His smile is more radiant than the stars.

**Chrono**

It's almost like you've slapped him.  
He stares at you, completely frozen, his face and his body both. And he looks—honestly _terrified_.  
_How can you even be scared of me?_ you want to ask him, off-balance with disbelief. _You're the one who got me this far._  
But even this shouldn't surprise you by now. He's always been surprisingly raw with his emotions.  
_This idiot_.  
The thought, at this point, is fond.  
“Come on,” you tell him, the laugh in your heart creeping on your face, “just how many times have you shown me the real you by now?”  
He gasps. Opens his mouth as if to say something, but stops halfway there.  
“… sheesh,” you sigh, still smiling. “I can't believe _now_ of all times you're getting all apologetic on me.”  
You stride. Call Drain Valve Dragon, distribute its power boosts.  
“You've always been like this, you know,” you tell him. “Sneaking around, hiding in the shadows, using us. I'm not _blind_ , Ibuki.” You start your attack. “I use Colossus's skill, send Melem and Destiny Dealer to the bottom of the deck… and with this you can't guard this attack with grade 1 units!”  
You watch him slide Destiny Dealer under his deck. He still looks _stunned_ , following your prompts almost as if on automatic.  
“… You're such a self-centered adult,” you chuckle. “And honestly? It _really_ pissed me off.”  
You attack.  
“Generation Guard,” he counters.  
A part of you almost feels like pouting.  
“Come on, if you're _that_ sorry, you could at least give me a little breathing room here!”  
“You're the one who asked me to be merciless!” he answers, and he looks so earnestly shocked by your outburst that you almost want to laugh.  
_So direct..._  
You might not know his past or his story, but you've known for a long time how at odds the role he's put on himself was with the person he really is.  
“Yeah, see? _That_ is you. That's you through and through.” You grin. “'A fight reveals everything about a person,' right? You're the one who taught me that, remember?” He gasps, and you attack, keeping your eyes on him. “So what do you think you've been doing all this time, huh? Every fight, you've shown me who you really are.”  
A man who never goes easy, on himself or on others. Stupidly strong, stupidly driven, and even underneath his scheming, stupidly earnest.  
And even if half the things he _said_ were lies, he still _met_ you as a person, through his fights, through his reactions, butting his everything against you with every confrontation. Never holding back. Almost as if he didn't know _how_.  
As if he can't do anything else but put all of himself into everything he does, give himself completely, and that's almost _precious_ , in a strange way.  
And in turn, that intense, unguarded directness of his has taught you how to fight to the fullest, the way you are now, with your heart blazing and your goals set the highest you can reach.  
Even if it's _intensely frustrating_ at times, you pout, watching him guard your powered up Drain Valve.  
“Damniiiiiit, no damage!?”  
Well, he can't say that you didn't _try_ at least.  
And to your surprise, you hear him chuckle.  
“Of course not.”  
You look up. There's something warm on his face, relief and hope and even a hint of excitement. Like something in him's _broken_ and finally let through the feelings you'd been able to glimpse in his fights.  
Even the way he holds his body is different.  
_See? Wasn't that hard, was it?_  
“I'm not going to let you surpass me that easily,” he says, smiling happily. Small, still, but unmistakably bright.  
And you get the message behind it.  
_Even if you can't crush me now, come at me again until you do._  
He seems almost excited at the prospect.  
“Hah. Anything else and it wouldn't be you,” you say, laughing. “Come on, then. Come at me!”  
He grins.  
“Oh, I will. I'll use,” he says, dropping a card and picking another from his G zone, “everything I have to crush you!”  
He strides Flagellate again.  
“Stride Skill! I lock Drill Monk and Drain Valve! And then...” He sets his fingers down on his vanguard, his body straightening again as he gets into the fight. “Flagellate attacks! With his skill, I unlock Drill Monk, Gravity Well and Drain Valve. Because I unlocked at least one unit, I can Omega Lock any remaining locked units.”  
Well, there goes your Upstream Dragon again. So much for using him before the end of this fight, probably.  
“And because three or more units were unlocked… Flagellate gets an extra critical.”  
_Are you kidding me?_  
You check your hand, your field. Five damage, and not even enough to guard his vanguard even without any triggers.  
_Yeah, that's not happening._  
“Honestly… you _really_ are merciless,” you tell him. _Talk about overkill_.  
But you don't mind. Because you asked him. Because figuring out how to surpass even that will make you stronger. Because it's _fun_.  
Because, in the end, the value of what he's given you goes beyond the outcome of a single fight.  
You've spent so many years drifting, wanting nothing, _allowing_ yourself nothing. Waiting, empty, year after year, for the time when you could finally be an adult and stop being a weight on anyone, be independent. Go through life without making waves.  
Going through the motions, you realise, just like you hated seeing him do.  
But everything is different now. Your life, but also the person you are. And you've got him to thank for it.  
Even if it had all been for his plan, he still opened the path for you. Allowed you to meet your friends, the units you've come to call your comrades, Vanguard itself, and everything it means to you. Things you hold so precious that you'd risk your life to save them.  
And now him himself. Finally talking to you. Finally allowing you to reach him.  
You might lose this fight by a landslide (and there you thought you were going somewhere with that deck). You might have to rework some of your strategy from scratch.  
But that's okay. With his smile and the way he's standing open in front of you, you feel like you've gained something else.  
“… thank you.”  
He gasps. You smile.  
_Let's fight together, yeah?_  
You take a last look at your hand, before putting it down on the table, face down.  
_I still haven't seen any of them… it's not_ impossible.  
_Can you actually draw two heal triggers in a row, self?  
Time to see if we can._  
“No guard! Give me all you've got!”  
The corner of his mouth quirks up.  
“Admirable determination. Here I come!”  
His first drive check is a grade 3. His second, a grade 1. His third, a critical trigger.  
_… well. It was worth a try_  
You check your last damage. Draw trigger.

The two of you stand, silent, contemplating the table as if waiting for something else to happen.  
“… gotta try harder, huh?” you finally say, collecting your cards and stacking them again carefully.  
“You did get rather unlucky with the drive checks,” he says, quietly.  
You raise an eyebrow.  
“You? Making excuses?”  
“… it was still a good fight.” He smiles slightly. “You're welcome to test it against me as many times as you want.”  
“You sure about that? If I keep tweaking it, that's gonna be a _lot_.”  
“It's fine.” He pauses, then looks away before continuing. “I had fun…” And then: “… thank you.”  
You grin.  
“… I'll walk you home,” he declares, still quiet.  
“Huh?”  
It's not that dark yet. You've been out later than that on your own plenty of times. If it's an awkward attempt at protecting you, he might actually need it more than you do.  
But on the other hand, it means a chance to just _hang out_ with him. Casually. To actually _talk_.  
Maybe (you're not counting on it, but one can dream), just maybe, you can even get him to talk about himself.  
“… sure. Let's go.”

“So hey,” you ask him after a few minutes of walking in silence, “I totally forgot about it, but did you ever do that background check on Hiroki?”  
“Hiroki Moriyama? Yes, although it didn't teach us much.”  
“What'd you find?”  
“He's from an average family. Apparently, Myoujin offered to take care of his education a couple of years ago; his parents accepted without much fuss.”  
You wince.  
“Talk about involved...”  
“Other than that, there isn't much. Although he seems to have been involved in an episode of bullying at his school.”  
“He bullied others?”  
“As I understand it, he used to be the class's victim until he turned on his tormentors. Since then, he's been multiplying roles in discipline and positions of power in school hierarchy.”  
“Hmm...”  
If he'd been bullied and had to fight his way out of it by himself, it would explain why he can't make himself rely on others, at least. You'll have to tell Taiyou about it.  
“Anything else?”  
“Not really, no. Records ever since he was taken in have been harder to access.”  
“Well, that still helps. Thanks.”  
“Mm.”  
You take the few steps down to the riverbank, and keep walking.  
You're a little tired. It's nothing like the complete exhaustion of the first few days after your fight with Myoujin, but it still feels like the fight itself drained you, somehow.  
_Too many emotions_ , you tell yourself, laughing inwardly.  
“Aaah, I'm thirsty. Can't wait to be home.”  
“… wait here. I'll get something.”  
“Huh? I'm—”  
_I'm fine_ , you wanted to say, but he's already doubled back and is walking at a quick pace towards what you assume is the vending machine you passed earlier.  
_… honestly..._  
You lean against the railing and wait for him to come back.

It only takes a couple of minutes for him to come back. He hands you the can without a word. Coffee.  
_How did he—wait, nevermind. Of course he knows._  
Before today, you might have rolled your eyes. Now, you just take it in stride.  
“Thanks.”  
“Mm.”  
You open your can, and he leans on the railing next to you without a word.  
It feels… surprisingly comfortable. Just hanging out. The exact kind of thing that you'd _missed_ , that you hadn't been able to have with him until now. And just like that shared meal with everyone earlier, it makes you feel… happy. At ease. Hopeful.  
You look down at the water, and just let the moment seep into your skin. It's instants like this that you want to remember, when you need to remind yourself what exactly you're trying to protect.  
_Yeah, and you were acting all cool about that determination, and now you can't tell him about it without going back on what you said. Real smooth, Chrono_.  
You still need to say it, though. So you try turning the words in your head until you can find a way to make it sound not totally lame.  
And then you give up.  
“Auuuuuuugh!”  
He turns towards you as you down your coffee for courage.  
“Damnit, and I really wanted to tell you after I'd won, too. Well, whatever. Might as well do it now.”  
“… what are you on about?” he asks, quietly.  
“It's about Ryuzu.”  
He gasps.  
“Look, we're not far from actually getting to fight them, right?” _And I know you're trying to protect me, but..._ “When that time comes, I want you to use my power, and with no reservations. Don't hold back.”  
He breathes in again, sharply, his eyes widening as he turns towards you in surprise.  
“I know, I know, I'm just a kid… and I couldn't even beat you… but y'know, if there's something only I can do… a power I'm the only one to have… then I want to use it. To protect Vanguard, and all the people close to me. No matter the cost.”  
You're not like Ryuzu. You won't stand for mindless sacrifice of others. But taking a risk, where it really matters… that you can do.  
He still doesn't answer, body frozen in shock. You take a deep breath and continue.  
“The depend cards… Dran, the Time Beasts… they got stolen because I got reckless. That part's my fault… so let me make up for it. And… I know I shouldn't be talking all cool after losing to you, but...” You look up, meet his eyes. “I'm ready to put my life on the line if I have to.”  
He stares, still. You hold his eyes.  
_I'm serious about this. I'm not gonna flake out on you._  
Finally, after several drawn-out moments, he sighs, then looks away and up, composing himself.  
“… a brat like you shouldn't be talking about putting his life on the line,” he says, and you almost roll your eyes at him, because _who's trying to sound cool now?_  
You sigh.  
“I know that…”  
But a kid probably shouldn't have gone through all you did already either, and yet here you are. It's too late to go back on that now. So you want to go forward, with what all those things have taught you. With who they've made of you.  
“… But...” he adds, quietly, “I understand the feeling.”  
And his smile is warm, unlike any you've ever seen on him. Something like recognition, and something… almost serene.  
It's a strange expression on him, but you think you like it.  
“Well, in that case,” he says, looking away again, “if it's necessary, I won't hold back. If you really are our trigger… I won't hesitate to pull.”  
You grin.  
“Damn right. You can count on me.”  
Somehow, that still manages to catch him off balance.  
But it only takes him a few seconds to smile again, and once more, it's relaxed. You honestly wouldn't mind seeing both those expressions more often.  
“Well,” you say, downing the last drops of your drink, “the coffee's nice. Thanks. That fight wiped me out.”  
And suddenly his eyes narrow in a frown, then widen in shock and worry.  
“H-huh? Ibuki, what's wrong?”  
“'A power I'm the only one to have'… why didn't I think of it _before_ —”  
“Ibuki?”  
“All this time, while fighting you, I thought something was off… and before that, when I talked to you… but it was _right under my nose_...” He grabs his drink and takes a few steps forward, towards another set of stairs. “Follow me.”  
“Will you _tell me what's going on!?_ ” you ask him, throwing your empty can into a bin and jogging up to him to catch up.  
“I think I know why you've been so tired.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And fiiinaly the plot starts to pick up!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update. This has become incredibly hard to write for a variety of reasons.  
> But I don't want to abandon the few people who've supported me all this time, so.  
> To all those of you who kudo'd this and commented. This is for you. Thanks for giving me the strength to keep writing.
> 
> Also this is my longest chapter so far, somehow.

**Chrono**

“Ibuki!” Christopher Lo calls out when you clear the staff defending the lab and walk into the main room. “Sorry, but I haven't made any significant progress since yesterday.”  
“It's fine,” Ibuki calls back, walking up to the platform as it comes down. “Sorry, but can you put that on hold for a bit? I have something else I need you to look into.”  
“Oh?” The platform finally lands, and Ibuki nods you forward. You climb on. “Hello there. Chrono Shindou, right?”  
“Yeah. You fought my teammate.”  
“Tokoha, right? That was quite a fight, yes. The Anjous are both as intense as the other. Not that you should tell either of them that,” he adds with a wink.  
You chuckle.  
“Don't worry, I know. Tokoha's my teammate _and_ classmate.”  
Behind you, Ibuki coughs.  
“Right!” Christopher says. “You didn't bring him here to socialise, did you?”  
“The equipment Myoujin used to channel his own Stride Force that we salvaged… do you think it could be used to measure a person's?”  
“Probably? Why?”  
He puts a hand on your shoulder.  
“I think Myoujin might be siphoning his.”

“I realised after fighting you,” Ibuki explains while Christopher fiddles with the seat. “There's something off about your image.”  
“My image?”  
“At first I thought it might just be the shock, or that you weren't giving your all since your main units weren't there. But you've mostly recovered physically by now, haven't you?”  
“Yeah.”  
“And yet fights tire you out, when they didn't before.”  
You think about it. You hadn't realised, during training camp, because just being able to fight again, to connect again, had been such a liberating feeling. Like a wall around you had been broken. But they had still tired you out more than a treck up the mountain did.  
“… so what's your point?”  
“Early in the fight, I could maybe still have believed that you weren't fully involved. But in those last turns, you really threw yourself into the fight with everything you have, the way you always have. Your intent was the same. Your determination and imagination were the same.” He pauses. “But your image did not manifest in the slightest.”  
You blink.  
“Manifest?”  
“Until now, every time we've fought, the strength of your imagination has affected reality in this world.”  
Your brain grinds to a halt, before ticking back fully into full gear.  
“Wh—what!?”  
“The first time, you made the GIRS overload and malfunction. At Myoujin's old lab, that energy went into awaking Chrono Dran's card. By the time you fought me during the G quest, your power had grown so much that you didn't just awake a card; you made the GIRS almost overload again, and likely gave Myoujin enough energy to summon a card of his own.”  
Your mind races. What _did_ all these fights have in common, aside from him being your opponent? In all of them, he'd pushed you to your limits, riled up your emotions, your determination.  
So what about other fights in which you were pushed that far?  
_When you fought me at United Sanctuary Branch, you truly summoned a unit._  
Kanzaki.  
“… but that's not all,” Ibuki continues. “After you lost your FICA points and almost gave up Vanguard altogether… when we fought… there was no GIRS to give your image shape, then. And yet...”  
“… and yet what?”  
He takes in a breath.  
“Your image was so strong that it materialised your attack. For a fraction of second, I saw Chronojet Dragon in your place, as if you had become him through striding. And...” His hand rises to the metal plate on his chest, touching the line in the metal that's been there almost as far as you can remember. “The attack cut into this.”  
You stay frozen.  
_I… I hit him?_ No, _cut_ him, even, and that's _metal_ , what if he hadn't been wearing it—  
“… you're _kidding me_ , right!?”  
He shakes his head.  
“Of all the—don't freaking tell me off for risking my life ever again after this!” That hadn't been an accident, you finally realise, his confession still fresh in your mind. He'd tried to push you to your limits on _purpose_. “You were _trying_ to make something happen, weren't you? You _idiot_! What if you hadn't been wearing that thing? What if I'd hit _higher_!?” You run out of breath, take one in through your indignation. “Hell, what if it happened with _someone else_? Did you think about that?”  
He flinches. You keep glaring at him, not least because that last part is the only one he's really reacted to.  
_Just what happened to this guy?_  
“I… I didn't think… you would easily be pushed that far… I'm sorry, I didn't consider...”  
Behind him, you see Christopher smirk, plugging a cable into a slot at the back of the seat before pulling his computer onto his lap.  
“He's right about one thing, at least,” he says. “I haven't been able to get all the data from this place yet, but they did collect a lot on you during the G quest. Your Stride Force readings are off the scale. A very recognisable signature, too, it's very atypical.”  
_Just how many people have been keeping tabs on me this year!?_  
“Hmph...” you deflate, slightly, nodding towards Christopher as you take in what he's told you. “Well,” you say as you turn back towards Ibuki, “you could've freaking told me at least.”  
“I'm sorry.” He pauses. “I did promise you I wouldn't hide things from you again; that won't happen in the future.”  
It's, again, direct and honest, and it makes you deflate completely. It's hard to actually stay mad at him when he apologises so readily.  
“Yeah, well. Make sure it doesn't.”  
_And take better care of yourself, you idiot..._  
“Not to interrupt,” Christopher butts in, “but I think I'm ready here. Ibuki, get in, we'll use your readings as control sample.”  
Ibuki flinches, almost imperceptibly.  
“Do we have to?”  
“If you don't want the data to be totally useless, yes. I have records for you too in here, I need to check that the readings are the same if you want Chrono's to have any actual meaning. How else am I supposed to check that it's functioning properly?”  
“He's recorded in it too?” you ask, somewhat surprised.  
“There's data from the entire G quest,” Christopher explains. “But he did pay particular attention to your team, you in particular, and Ibuki. That data was already extracted and analysed, the rest is just buried in generic files. I could extract it myself, but I don't think you want to waste that time _and_ involve someone else.”  
“Just do it,” Ibuki sighs, sitting on the chair.  
“Okay! Hold on a second...” He puts his laptop down, takes a few steps away, and comes back with a helmet, placing it on Ibuki's head. “I'll _try_ not to fry your brain.”  
You raise an eyebrow, but he doesn't look at you. In the seat, Ibuki tenses, his hands tightening into fists.  
“All right… now for the Stridometer reading… I still can't believe he called it that.” He fiddles with his laptop, and a soft beeping rises from one of the screens behind you. “Ibuki!” he adds, more loudly.  
“Yes.”  
“Try to visualise the last fight you had. Especially the riding phase.”  
He nods.  
“Aaand here we go.”  
Ibuki takes in a shaky breath, and the beeping starts coming faster. Christopher moves from his laptop to the screen, muttering something under his breath, then back to his laptop.  
You watch, silent. In the seat, Ibuki's still looking pale, but on what you can see of his face, concentration is finally replacing nervousness.  
“Hmm…” Christopher says, “I'd get better data from an actual fight… but I'm not putting you guys in the GIRS. It'll have to do. Ibuki, can I get a Stride?”  
Ibuki nods, and lets out a small breath.  
“… and we're good, I think. Relax, I'll take a couple of minutes of readings at rest and then we can try Chrono.”  
“Why at rest?” you ask.  
“That's a control too. What did they teach you in school?” he teases.  
“He's not in university,” Ibuki points out.  
“Don't sass the guy who's controlling the machines, Ibuki.”  
Ibuki lets out a sigh, and Christopher fiddles with his laptop a bit longer before nodding contentedly. The beeping on the machine stops.  
“All right, I'll run it through a more precise extracting protocol after this, but… seems mostly accurate as far as the raw data's concerned. You're above average, big peaks in the ride phase. Not surprising, considering...”  
“Lo. Please.”  
“… considering what?”  
“It's not relevant,” Ibuki says, quietly.  
You frown, but don't push.  
“Well,” Christopher says, pulling the helmet off Ibuki's head, “I'm done with you. Chrono, get in.”  
“… you were joking about the brain frying, right?”  
“Mostly.” He grins.  
You scowl and wait for Ibuki to step out so you can sit. He takes a little longer than you'd expect, pushing himself off the seat thanks to the armrests.  
“… are you all right?” you ask him quietly as he steps past.  
“Mm. I'm fine.”  
You scowl a little more, but step into the chair and sit down.  
_Go on, helmet. Do your worst._  
The helmet goes over your head, obscuring your vision.  
“The visor's really just to help you focus,” Christopher says. “I think it used to have a system to project what you're visualising, but I couldn't get that to work.”  
“Okay, what do I do, then?”  
“For now, nothing. Let me start recording first.”  
You nod and wait.  
“Here we go,” his voice says as the beeping starts again, barely audible through the helmet. Just to make sure, we're gonna do this in two parts.”  
“Two parts?”  
“Start off with the last fight you had. Ibuki said you were testing a new deck; try focusing on that.”  
You nod and close your eyes, trying to remember the fight. It's still fresh in your mind, and you go through the motions of it, letting yourself feel the units around you.  
It's hard. Harder than usual, as if your senses weren't all there.  
_Maybe he's on to something._  
You try and focus on Ibuki's side instead, on the feelings you had as his G unit rose in front of you. The tension you felt as your units were locked.  
“Hmm...” you hear Christopher hum. It doesn't sound too happy. “Chrono, try imagining yourself striding.”  
You push yourself back down into your mind, call on to Colossus again. Remember the hope you'd had, the determination to finally break through his defence.  
“Okay, stop for now… rest a minute or two and then we'll try something else.”  
“Am I doing it wrong?”  
“No, you're doing fine,” he says, with the voice of someone who doesn't think things are fine.  
You bite the corner of your lip and wait.  
“… Chrono, you fought Myoujin a while ago, didn't you?”  
“—wait,” Ibuki starts, but you cut him off to answer.  
“Yeah.”  
“Please run through that fight, as much as you can.”  
“That got cut off in the middle though.”  
“It's fine. Do it in two parts if you need to.”  
“Okay, gimme a sec.”  
“Shindou, are you sure?” Ibuki asks.  
“Yeah, I'm fine.” You grin, even though you're not sure he's even in the right spot to see it. “I said I'd do my part, remember? And I'm tired of being… well, tired.”  
He stays silent. You take it as your cue to start focusing.  
_Okay, I rode Chrono Dran..._  
Immediately, something in you tightens, like the air in the room's been sucked away. You gasp, tighten your hands on the armrests.  
“Lo, we need to stop!”  
“Don't be so hasty,” Christopher answers, irritated but still worried. “Chrono, you doing okay?”  
“I'm fine, it just made me dizzy.”  
“Do you want to continue? I think we're on to something.”  
“Yeah.”  
_I rode… Timebreak Dragon..._  
The fight pans out before your eyes and senses, much more viscerally than the last one had. You fall back, ride, attack, ride again… then Chronojet… Warp Drive…  
The units come to life around you, their presence steady against your skin.  
_And then I passed out..._  
“… all right, I think I have enough.”  
“You sure? I didn't get to the second part yet...”  
“I don't want to take any risks. If we need to try again later, we will, but you need to rest first.”  
You nod, letting the image slip away. After a few moments, the beeping stops, and you hear Christopher mumble something before the helmet lifts off your head.  
To your surprise, it isn't Christopher's hands, but Ibuki's.  
“… are you all right?” he asks, quietly, as if just asking was doing something wrong.  
“Yeah.” He nods slightly and you give him a small smile. “Here, give me a hand.”  
You hold out yours. He blinks in surprise before putting the helmet down on a nearby machine and taking it with his, tightening his grip. You haul yourself up.  
“Thanks.”  
He nods slightly, letting go of your hand. You give him another smile before walking up to Christopher.  
“So are the news good or bad?”  
“It depends how you look at it. The equipment worked and we got some data, that's good news. The actual results… probably bad news for you. Ibuki's theory seems to be right, you tell me whether that's good or bad news. As a scientist I'd say yes, as a strategist, I'd probably say no.”  
“What do you mean?” Ibuki asks.  
“I can't tell you for sure until I've analysed it properly. But from the raw data… there's definitely something wrong. Look, his Stride Force level is below average.”  
He nods towards his screen. You twist your neck to look at it from behind him, and see a handful of curves, going up and down. You have no idea what they can mean.  
Next to you, Ibuki lets out a quiet hiss.  
“That's one of his recordings from the G quest, for reference,” he continues, clicking through several folders to display another bunch of curves, these ones more chaotic. “Even like this you can see a difference.”  
“And the second part you asked him to do?”  
Christopher frowns.  
“… I'll tell you later once I've checked.”

**Ibuki**

A few minutes later, you get kicked out of the room Lo is in under the excuse that your 'fidgeting' is breaking his concentration, and find Chrono in the next corridor, leaning against a wall and typing away at his phone.  
“I'm telling Mikuru I'll be late,” he explains as you walk close.  
You nod and come to his side, leaning back against the wall in silence.  
“… wanna get some food?” he asks.  
“Hm?!”  
“We've got a couple of hours free right? I'm starving after that thing.”  
Right. You should have thought to bring him something.  
“There's a fast food place not far from here, I think...” he muses.  
“I'll come with you,” you agree.  
He smiles.

You warn Lo and walk out, telling the staff on watch to notify others if you haven't come back within two hours or they haven't had any orders to cancel it. Once outside, he takes a deep breath, smiles slightly, and starts waking ahead. You catch up to him, adapting your stride to his steps.  
“Feels weird to eat out twice in the same day,” he muses.  
“Is it?”  
“I try not to spend too much money; Mikuru gives me some, but...” He shakes his head. “I should take a part time job next year if I have time...”  
“I can pay for you.”  
“Nah, it's fine. I just don't make a habit of it. Usually I just cook at home.”  
You fall silent. The way he takes all of this in stride and rebounds easily is something you've always admired.  
How can he be so calm and casual now, when the whole world seems to be holding its breath before a storm? When you've just witnessed him gasp and choke out of nowhere under Lo's machine? When something could be feeding off his Stride Force, or even his very life force.  
And he's always been like this. Working through things quickly to take care of others. Even after he'd lost his points (and you feel doubly guilty for your part in that, now, although at the time you'd thought you were doing him a favour—and maybe you would have, if it had worked), he'd recovered within hours, and rose up to the challenge.  
And now…  
_I want you to use my power, and with no reservations._  
You remember what it's like, to be used as a weapon. To be a mere object, a means to an end. To be coveted not for who you are, but for what you can do.  
Even now, you can feel Oksizz's cold, slow crawl on your nape sometimes, his pressure in your brain. Products of your imagination, of course, but it still makes you shake if you don't control it.  
And here he is, just offering himself. Even after you manipulated him, even after Myoujin used him, even after he almost ended up as his puppet. He's willing to give this much, risk this much to help.  
And to trust you, despite everything you've done.  
_Why are you treating me like a friend?_  
It makes no sense to you, the way he just slips into familiarity like he'd only been waiting for you to let him. What do you have to _give_?  
And yet, you do want to meet him halfway. Because moments like these make you feel oddly excited and serene. As if the strength he always radiates somehow sunk into you, grounding you. A little bit of him, shared to those who could profit from his warmth.  
You want to meet him halfway, despite your guilt. But you have no idea how.  
He pushes the door to the fast food open.  
“Huh, I thought it'd be more crowded at this time… well, wanna order first, or should I go?”  
“Go on.”  
He walks past you and to the counter, ordering a simple burger, small fries, small salad, and hesitating a little before wincing and adding juice. A second worker walks up to you, and you almost order the same, before falling back on old habits and ordering your usual burger and fries. You add soda to the lot and wait for your tray.  
“I'll go get us a table.”

You join him two minutes later, at the table he's picked, a small two-people spot in the corner next to the window.  
“Enjoy,” he says, before picking a few fries out of his pack. “Man, I needed that.”  
You hum and unpack your burger.  
If you're completely honest, you're grateful for the lunch you already shared with him and his friends. Without it, you'd have felt a lot more awkward eating in front of him now. But within minutes you find yourself relaxing, and even more so as his face regains colour and he starts smiling as he eats.  
Maybe this isn't so bad.  
“… say,” he suddenly asks, picking at his remaining fries. “Can I ask you a question?”  
“Hm?”  
“What did he mean earlier? About your ride phase, I mean? I know you said it wasn't relevant, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but...” He makes a face.  
“But?”  
“… I'm curious, I guess. You've told me things about myself, but I don't know much about _you_.”  
_Oh_.  
You really, really don't want to talk about this. But after all you've come to know about _him_ , hiding everything feels like cheating.  
You compromise.  
“… it's a long story. Let's say I've come into direct contact with units before. It may have affected my approach to imagination.”  
“You have!?” He stares, then chuckles. “Guess I shouldn't be surprised. Is that why you're always so serious about it?”  
“… not quite.”  
He looks at you for a few seconds, observing your face. Then releases your eyes and reaches for his drink.  
“It's still weird to think about… Cray being real and all.”  
You stay silent, letting him continue.  
“But in a way… I think I've always known.” He chuckles, suddenly, scratching at the side of his head a little. “That weird?”  
“No. You'd had contact with it before.”  
“Oh, true.”  
“… I've only ever seen it when fighting Aichi Sendou or Ren,” you confess, quietly.  
“Huh, why them?”  
“You've fought Ren. Did anything unusual happen during the fight?”  
He frowns for a few seconds, toying with his fry against the wrapping paper.  
“Right! He pulled us into this vision… so that was really Cray?”  
“That power is called Psyqualia. It manifests in fighters who have not just a powerful imagination, but a particular link to Cray itself. At the very start, I thought you might have it.”  
“But I didn't.” He pauses. “I don't, right?”  
“No, your power is different. And honestly more potent, as it affects reality itself.” You think back to Lo's worries about the gate. “… at full power, I wonder exactly how much you could bring into this world. Maybe units aren't the only thing that can respond to your call.”  
He stares at you.  
“That's… kinda scary.”  
“Ah—I'm sorry.”  
“No—” He makes a small, noncommittal gesture with his hand, ordering you along with your story. “So what about Psyqualia, then? What does it _do_?”  
“Psyqualia affects only the mind. It allows one to resonate with Cray, and create in their own mind—and the minds of those they target with it—a theatre of events, or events to come. In the right hands, it's a fearsome weapon.”  
“Y'know, usually people say 'in the wrong hands',” he points out.  
You smile slightly.  
“Aside from the potential to wage war on your opponent's mind with visions that override the senses, Psyqualia allows one to see—not quite the future, but possibilities. Usually, focused on victory, a fighter will see the sequence of events that will lead to it. Communicating with units is also possible, to a certain extent.” You reach for your drink, take a sip. “I've been wondering to what extent it really shows reality… but Myoujin has in fact given us a potential explanation for part of it.”  
“Huh?”  
“The power of destiny and possibility that links the two planets, that he wants to tip in our favour. I think Psyqualia's ability to glimpse possible futures comes from it. It shows them...” and you feel your lips pull at the edges as his own words make their way through them, “the future they desire.”  
“Hang on, hang on, my head hurts.” He takes a couple of gulps of his drink, then sets it back down on the table, firmly. “So _in a way_ , it's like Stride, except what you call is just an image and not a unit?”  
“… essentially, yes. You worded it better than I did.”  
He smirks.  
“Don't get _too_ confident,” you mutter, looking away, but your heart isn't in it.  
He gives a little satisfied laugh, plopping his abused fry into his mouth.  
“So what do you mean 'wage war on your opponent's mind'?”  
“As far as your mind and senses are concerned, everything that happens within that vision is real. Every hit will feel as real as if you'd taken it yourself. Not just in a generalised way, but precise sensations.” You pause. “Being stabbed is… uncomfortable.”  
“Thaaat sounds like an understatement.”  
You let out a little amused breath, and he smiles at you, before frowning slightly, looking down at his tray.  
“… I thought that was normal though...”  
“Hm? What is?”  
“Feeling what happens in the fight. I mean, I _know_ it's not real when it happens, but it feels like it.”  
“… you experience it physically?”  
“A bit, yeah? That's—part of why I got hooked when I started. It was fun and it felt _real_ on some level. It wasn't much back then, but it's been getting stronger...”  
He trails off.  
“It might have to do with the strength of your image.”  
“Maybe...”  
He stays silent, caught in thought. You watch him, out of reflex.  
And to think all those fights had that much of an effect on him. In retrospect, he's much stronger than you thought, to have taken it in stride without questioning it.  
“… hey, Ibuki.”  
“Hm?”  
“Did I hit my personal question quota yet or can I ask another one?”  
You bink.  
_Perso—what!?_  
“… if you have questions I'll answer them to the best of my ability.”  
“What are you planning to do after this?”  
“I—”  
You draw a blank. He looks at you and you stay frozen, because _you have no idea_.  
All this time you've been talking about the future. About saving it. And yet you hadn't thought about your own future a single time.  
“I...”  
You try to think about it. Clearly there are things you can do after this. Places you can go, maybe. And there will always be work to be done, somewhere. There is always work to be done, in a world like this.  
But no matter how much you try to picture it, all you can see is the void.  
Your future doesn't exist. You can't make yourself picture it, can't make yourself think about it.  
You lean back a little, letting your hands fall to your lap.  
“… I haven't really thought about it.”  
You were never sure that you would make it at all, so you never really considered it. But that answer, less scary as it is than the void you're staring into, probably isn't one he'd like.  
“Really?”  
“I tend to focus on the work in front of me,” you try to evade.  
He smiles, gently.  
“That does sound like you.”  
“… what about you?”  
“Me?” He flushes a little, to your surprise. “I… I'm not sure. I have a few ideas.”  
You stay silent, waiting for him to continue. He sighs.  
“It's weird, thinking about it. For years I just wanted to finish school and get a job as soon as possible. Didn't even know what. Didn't really _care_ what.” His face softens into a smile. “But that changed after I discovered Vanguard. I'm still not sure on the _long_ term, but I have a few ideas of things I want to do.”  
“I see.”  
“… actually, I had a question.”  
“What is it?”  
He hesitates. Flushes a little more, looks away for a fraction of second before looking back at you, determined.  
“Do you think I have what it takes to be Clan Leader?”  
The question takes you by surprise. Both the ambition, and the shyness behind it. Does he doubt his skills so much?  
“… I think you're more than qualified, although maybe lacking a bit in experience. You're a stellar fighter… and a surprisingly good leader.”  
He pouts.  
“'Surprisingly'? What's that supposed to mean?”  
“If one takes into account your age and inexperience, and how little you interacted with people until last year, yes. But you keep displaying leadership skills. I think you have what it takes.”  
_You draw people into your orbit, whether you realise it or not. And I've seen you challenge entire branches and transcend your own skill just to protect someone whose life you had touched.  
There is much to look up to._  
“You connect with people easily,” you conclude. “That is a trait you and Mamoru Anjou share.” And that you don't.  
You look back up at him. He looks like he can barely contain his grin, although there still seems to be shyness to him.  
No matter how much you've studied him, you've never understood how that aspect can come out when he's usually so brave.  
“Wow.”  
You blink.  
“It's rare to get some actual praise from you,” he explains, his grin widening, deepening. Suddenly, you feel like you're the one being stared into.  
“… don't get used to it,” you mumble.  
“Hehe, I won't. But I'll remember this.”  
You hum vaguely. He sits back and finishes his drink.  
“… I look forward to having you as a colleague,” you say, quietly.  
He gasps, silently, then grins again, eyes bright like a hunting cat's. You rub your thumb against the side of your hand, the heat of the room a bit suffocating under his gaze.  
“Well,” he says, letting himself fall back against his seat and grabbing his drink, “I can think about that later. We've got bigger fish to fry right now, can't afford to get too distracted.” A soft chuckle, and he takes a sip. “Can't become clan leader if I'm not alive to pass the test, can I?”  
You tuck your thumb under your other fingers, clenching it.  
“I won't let that happen,” you promise, quietly.  
“Hm?”  
“I won't let him harm you again.”  
_I won't let anyone harm you again._  
He stares at you in silence for a few seconds, before smiling softly.  
“Hey. You said you'd use me, right? Don't go back on it now.”  
“I don't intend to. I said I'd let you fight and I will. But I will fight at your side.” You pause, suddenly self-conscious. “… if that's okay with you.”  
The grin that gradually spreads on his face is almost goofy.  
“Course it's okay. … I'm actually kinda excited.”  
You smile, and promptly hide it behind what little is left of your food.

**Chrono**

“Ibuki, you might actually be right,” Christopher adds with no other greeting when you walk back in. “I've never seen something like this...”  
“What did you find out?”  
“Technically, nothing, I can only show you what's there and make a hypothesis, but… look here.” He turns on one of the giant holographic screens, and points at a graph with several curves on it, all in different colours. “The green's his normal pattern. I took out everything related to his signal's signature for now, we're just looking at average intensity.”  
Ibuki nods. You decide to nod along. All you can see is that it's higher than the others.  
“The blue is what we got with the first half of the experiment. Like I thought, his Stride Force is… low. It wouldn't be horribly worrying for a normal person, just below average, but compared to his usual… See, he should be much higher, and he usually has intense peaks in the ride phase, as well as the usual Stride reaction, and—little pulses at intervals even between those, I'm not sure what those are. I've never really seen them in anyone else.”  
“Is he actually producing less?” Ibuki asks.  
“I'd say it's been depleted… either it's constantly drained, or his ability to generate it is broken… or it's sealed. Or any combination of those.”  
“Could he have done something to him while he was unconscious?”  
“Hmmm...”  
“But you found me right after we fought, right?”  
They turn to you, as if only just remembering that you're there.  
“At Ryuzu's place. You said you saw us fight… and you found me right after he left. So he wouldn't have had time to do anything then. And _before_ that I summoned four units, and finished awakening a bunch of other cards. So if I needed Stride Force to do _that_ , whatever's happening started _after_ he got away, not before.”  
“He has a point,” Christopher says.  
“What about the second part of the experiment?” Ibuki asks.  
“Right. Okay, this one,” he says, pulling up another chart, “is a bit harder to analyse if you're not used to it, but what it comes down to is. Your first fight? Aside from how lowered your levels were, the general pattern of your response was average. But when I asked you to picture yourself ride your usual units… there was a sudden peak of response—at which point your physical state worsened instantly and the response dropped.”  
“So what does that mean?”  
“Probably one of two things,” he says, putting up two fingers. “One: something is sealing him. Riding the unit he's most familiar with is making him break past it, because of how strong he is, but what's keeping him under control adapts and shuts it down, aborting the response. The backlash is what caused the physical response.”  
“And the other one?”  
“Your original theory was right and he's being drained. He peaks, the thing siphoning him absorbs the resulting force, and the strain of having so much energy pulled from him weakens him, making his body falter and stop the response as a means of self-preservation.”  
“… you mean my body makes me stop so I don't get sucked dry?”  
“That's a possibility, yeah.”  
“Yikes.”  
“But how?” Ibuki asks.  
“That's where I can't help. None of the measuring equipment we have is made for small scale detection—if there's an actual flow going from him to somewhere, it'd take way too long to produce something to test it, and I'd have to step away from the reverse summoning project.”  
“That's more important, isn't it?” you ask.  
Ibuki's hands tighten, but he doesn't say anything.  
“… okay, you know what's bothering me, though?” you say.  
“What?”  
“ _If_ I'm drained or sealed or whatever… _why_? What's he trying to _do_?”  
“Reduce the threat you pose… make sure you can't attack him, or maybe he's counting on you attacking him anyway and hopes he can beat you that way… or...”  
“Or he's using you to summon his final unit,” Ibuki says.  
“Huh?”  
“He doesn't have access to the GIRS anymore. He needs to gather Stride Force from somewhere. If he managed to anchor something into you to gather your energy, he might be able to do it that way.” He winces. “In which case we might have been playing into his hands with that fight.”  
“… so what should I do, then, stop fighting altogether!?”  
“I don't know...”  
“Maybe try to take it easy until we locate Myoujin himself or find a solution to get the units back,” Christopher says. “Then it'll be easier to see if your Force really is going somewhere.”  
You sigh. There go your plans for intensive training.  
“On the bright side,” he continues, “or not, I've had some news that could speed things up a little, one way or another.”  
“What do you mean?” Ibuki asks.  
“While you were away, I got reports about some… interesting rumours. About secret labs.”  
“Like the one Kamui and Mamoru found during the G quest?” you ask.  
“Possibly. Suposedly some kids in the Dragon Empire area sneaked in and found something similar to GIRS. But who knows what's actually there. If there _is_ anything there.”  
“It's worth looking into,” says Ibuki.  
“I think so too. They might have found a way to harness and transfer Stride Force without the help of the actual GIRS. And if that's the case… well, if we find the lab, we'll find whether that's where Chrono's Force goes.”  
“So what do we do?” you ask. “I mean, what do _I_ do?”  
“I'll look into those rumours and get the others to help,” Ibuki says. “You...”  
He hesitates.  
“You should stay on standby until we know more,” Christopher answers, tone casual but final. “And warn us if anything feels out of the ordinary. If you suddenly feel weaker or stronger or you sense anything at all, call me or Ibuki.”  
You sigh. Stuck at home again, probably. At least this time it's hopefully temporary. Having an idea of what's going on is a relief.  
“I don't have your number though...”  
“Ibuki'll give it to you.” He shoots him a side glance, eyebrows raised, and Ibuki nods. “Anyway, I think I'm done for now… I'll keep you posted if I find anything new.”  
You and Ibuki both nod. He turns back and starts clicking, then typing at his computer.  
A few seconds later, he turns back towards the both of you, rolling his eyes.  
“Ibuki.”  
“Yes?”  
“… _walk him home_.”  
He blinks.  
“I—yes.” He takes one step to the side, hands twitching a little, then turns towards the door. “Let's go.”

“… should _he_ be working at this hour?” you ask after you clear the security outside the building and start walking towards your apartment. “Isn't he like. A couple of years older than me?”  
“Hm?”  
“Christopher. Shouldn't he sleep at some point?”  
“Ah...” He takes a few more steps before answering. “He was… rooming with Mamoru Anjou temporarily. But since what happened at Dragon Empire Branch, he's been staying here most of the time.”  
“Huh?”  
“He set up a place to sleep I think.”  
“That can't be healthy,” you sigh.  
He walks on, something on his face that could be discomfort or just awkwardness.  
You frown.  
“… have _you_ been sleeping?” you ask, suspicious.  
“I… I have issues sleeping in general,” he confesses.  
Somehow, you're not surprised. It all fits into this picture of him that you're barely starting to paint, those things that are starting to shine through now that he's allowing you to see a tiny bit under the surface.  
Honestly, you're kind of worried for him.  
“Since the attack?”  
He sighs, quietly.  
“I'm used to it; it's been a long time,” he says, looking down. “Don't worry about it.”  
You almost pout, but keep silent. You'll get a hold on him eventually.  
He's walking half a step in front of you, too, like he's scared of looking at you, or of you looking at him, maybe. But it no longer feels like running after the back of someone untouchable, unreachable.  
It just feels like part of him is trying to run away.  
The pedestrian light in front of you goes red and he's forced to stop. You catch up with him, at your own pace.  
He's looking straight ahead. You lean against the light's pole a little and look up at him. He fidgets, in his specific way that is less outright fidgeting and more little nervous movements of his hands, attempts at keeping his eyes busy.  
“I was wondering.”  
“What?”  
As short and blunt as the wording is, it's not harsh or aggressive, but quiet. Subdued, almost.  
“How'd you get to know—you know, everyone. Kamui, Shin, Misaki… Ren and the others. You knew them before Ren became Branch Chief, right? You said you'd gathered friends.”  
He stays silent for a moment. You wonder if he's going to run away again as soon as the light turns green.  
“… It's a long story,” he says, and it does turn green but he stays where he is, as if waiting for you to lead. “We ended up on opposite sides of a conflict… I caused some of them harm.” He sighs. “I'm trying to make up for that mistake.”  
_Is that why he's working so hard?_  
He looks away.  
“Ren and I did go to the same school, though. Although we didn't interact much.”  
You blink. The light goes red again.  
“Huh. Really?”  
He nods.  
“… is that why you call him by his first name?” _But if they didn't interact..._  
He winces.  
“No, that's...” He sighs. “At his _request_.”  
The way he says 'request' makes it almost sound like blackmail. You wonder how much Ren is actually capable of.  
“… Kai and Miwa were some of my first friends,” he finally says, quietly. “But we lost each other at the end of elementary school.”  
There's something quiet and sad about his voice, and although it's obvious there's more to that story, you don't have the heart to push.  
The light goes green and you push yourself up from the pole, taking the first step onto the crossing. He follows.  
“… I didn't really have any friends in primary school,” you tell him as you reach the other side.  
It's not a complaint, or a way to make him feel bad for what he did have. You're not even upset about it, honestly—it was normal at the time, and better than the orphanage. But you want—you want to get something across, no matter how clumsily.  
_You're not alone._  
“But I met a lot of people now… Kamui… Shion, Tokoha… Taiyou...” you turn back to grin at him as he walks at your side. “You.”  
He looks away, and you think you actually saw him blush.  
You almost find it cute, and you can hear Shion and Tokoha (and probably Tsuneto) laughing at you from here.  
And you're at a loss for words again. It's hard, keeping it going when he's always so guarded, but at least you think you're finally reaching him.  
And as you keep walking, releasing him from your gaze and looking ahead instead, he finally catches up to you, walking not ahead nor behind, but at your side.

“Thanks for walking me here,” you tell him as you reach the door. And because you can't help but tease him, you add: “I think I'll be fine after this point.”  
He chuckles, and you hold back a big, stupid grin.  
“I can still wait a few minutes to make sure you're home safe. If Myoujin has men stationed inside, they'll have to walk past me.”  
You stare. Is he… is he actually _joking back_? Have you become a VIP? Gained a special backstage restricted access to Kouji Ibuki's feelings and sense of humour?  
Apparently, you stare too long, because he looks away, as if about to apologise.  
“They could still take the garage exit,” you blurt out, and almost roll your eyes at yourself because that accomplished absolutely nothing, but he smiles.  
“Should I come in, then?”  
“No. Off you go,” you add, walking behind him and pushing at his shoulders with a lot of dramatics and no actual effort. “I'll be fine and _you_ need to sleep.”  
He takes a step forward in the direction you pushed him, then turns back to look at you.  
And he's _smiling_.  
“… good night,” he says, eyes soft, before turning and walking away.

**Ibuki**

You've been walking for all of three minutes, the night air unusually cold against your cheeks, when your phone vibrates.  
**Home safe ;)**  
You still feel like you're being called out, but you don't mind.  
You save the message.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guest art by the incredible [Lily](http://archiveofourown.org/users/o0whitelily0o)! Thanks so much <3
> 
> If you thought this chapter was cheesy, well. You're right.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter this time. But shit is about to Start Happening.

**Chrono**

Roughly an hour after you've left Ibuki on your doorstep, you get another text, this time containing Christopher's contact information and an apology for not remembering earlier. It seems unlike him to forget: you take the fact that he was probably distracted as a compliment.  
You send Shion and Tokoha the short version of what happened. **I'll explain next time we see each other** , you text back as your phone buzzes with worried replies. You don't have the strength to do everything now, especially by text. But you'd promised them; you don't want to keep them in the dark. What matters it that they're aware, at least.

You hoard the tea Mikuru made for you back to your room, play on your phone a few minutes, and go to sleep, more drained than you'd realised.

You're in a forest, light filtering through a dense canopy to hit, not the ground, but high branches and trunks. It's still, suspended, not like a held breath but like a whisper, barely touched by time. You fly close to the ground, between bushes, up, following larger trunks. Don't get seen, don't get caught. A sense of urgency, without one of danger.   
Almost out of nowhere, a wall of crumbling white stone and moss rises in your way. You move closer to the ground, looking for an opening, catch sight of a ray of light filtering through it and to the moss and leaf covered ground. You follow it, stick your head through the crack.  
The inside is paved in stones, but here too moss has been taking over, grass and even a handful of flowers growing in the cracks, where light hits through the half-crumbled ceiling. You squeeze further in, reach far enough with your head to look to the other half of the room.  
A statue, glinting dully in the broken rays of sun. You gasp in excitement and curiosity, and start pushing yourself through to enter.  
Behind you, someone calls your name.  
“Chrono—”

You're stuck in the void of space between dimensions, lost, anchorless, and from beyond the blinding light there's someone calling your name.  
“Chrono!”

You're stuck between walls of glass, barely conscious enough to cry, and there is only silence.

 

It takes only three days for Ibuki to call you again.  
You're at Dragon Empire Branch when he does. You'd tried staying home, but the frustration was getting too strong, and when Tokoha sent you a message asking if you wanted to help out with this event (“you don't need to run around,” she'd said, “we just need someone to handle the younger kids and reassure them if they get separated from their parents. It happens more with outdoor events, and, well...”) you'd jumped right on the occasion. Sitting on a chair in the shade chatting with kids sounded right up your alley.  
And besides, it was a chance to actually tell them what happened.

You're thankfully alone when he calls, just keeping an eye on two kids fighting each other close to your table.  
“Hey, Ibuki, what's up?” you ask as you pick up.  
“I have news.”  
“Good or bad?”  
“… both. And some that is neither, but might count as progress.”  
You sigh.  
“Give me the bad news first.”  
“Myoujin has gathered enough Stride Force to summon his last unit.”  
You grit your teeth.  
“Okay you're gonna have to give me more details than that.”  
He sighs, then says, quietly: “Do you have time right now?”  
“I'm at an event, but nothing pressing right now. Just tell me everything, I'll tell you if I need to put you on hold.”  
“All right.” He takes a breath and starts explaining. “The good news is that we found the gathering facility. Your friends of team Trinity Dragon stumbled upon it by chance.”  
 _How do you even find a secret facility by accident?!_ you ask yourself, but the urge to roll your eyes is quickly covered by guilt and a bit of dread. As frustrating as they can sometimes be, they're still your friends, and you don't want them to get caught up in this. What if something had happened to them?  
“Where is it?”  
“It's been destroyed already, unfortunately, along with whatever information or data it may have held. But Katsuragi found Trinity Dragon as they escaped it, and they told him what happened. It seems they had been developing machines to harvest Stride Force from fights without the help of GIRS.” He pauses. “As far as we're aware, you weren't its target. They seem to have gathered energy even from your friends as they attempted to stop Myoujin's underling there.”  
“… so we found the place, but we couldn't get anything from it, Myoujin has all the energy he needs, and we're back to square one on why my Stride Force is down.”  
He falls silent for a few seconds, and you can almost see his shoulders tensing, his hands clenching.  
“… yes,” he finally says, quiet and apologetic.  
You sigh.  
“Can't be helped, I guess.”  
“However, it means you can now fight freely. There's no reason not to if he already has the energy he needs.”  
“… true.” You pause. Think. “What are you going to do?”  
“I'm going to the site to see if there are any hints left as to the location of Myoujin's actual base.”  
“I'll tell Shion and Tokoha what happened.” A breath, and before he can hang up, you add: “Be careful.”  
“Mm.”  
The line cuts.

**Ibuki**

“Coming here in person isn't gonna make me work any faster, you know,” Lo says as you enter the lab.  
“That's not what this is about,” you say, waiting for him to lower the platform to your level so you can climb on.  
“Oh? Did you find anything in there?”  
You shake your head.  
“There seems to have been a tunnel at some point, but it was collapsed. Even if we excavate it, taking into account the risk of the ground itself collapsing...” You clench your fist on the railing. “We simply don't have _time_.”  
He eyes you in silence. You take a breath to calm yourself.  
You can't give in to panic now. You can't.  
“… what do you suggest, then?”  
“Do you really think we can summon the units back before they get the final one?”  
He stays silent. Then, clicks his tongue, a frown of frustration on his face.  
“Not really. And as for Myoujin's base… even if we considered that the satellite is in stable orbit above it… all it tells us is that it's somewhere in this city.”  
You nod. There goes your final hope that you won't have to resort to this.  
But you promised.  
Lo watches you, mouth tight but eyebrows raised.  
“You have a plan, don't you?”  
You breathe in to brace yourself.  
“Shindou seems to have a direct link to the time beasts.”  
“Wasn't that already obvious? He's the one who opened the gate, isn't he?”  
“There's more to it than that. They've talked to him. I think their bond is stronger than we'd guessed.” You pause, swallow, keep your voice even. “We might not be able to summon them from here, but what if we wake up one of them on site?”  
“We can't go to space.”  
“I know.”  
“… from his base?”  
“If he can manipulate them from there, there has to be something that amplifies the link. It has to be double edged.”  
“Hmm...”  
“If we wake up Chrono Dran… he may be able to exit the satellite, at best, and foil Myoujin's plans by taking his gate and weapon away from him. And even if he can't… Chrono might be able to use him again.”  
His eyes narrow.  
“You saw what happened when he tried to use them even in thought. Do you realise how much risk he'd be taking actually fighting with Chrono Dran, if the binding on his Stride Force isn't removed first?”  
“I'm aware.” You dig the nails of your thumbs into your palms. “… I made him a promise. And if all goes well, we won't even need to have him do it. But if he does have to fight… do you really think he stands a chance without his best weapons? He's an extraordinary fighter, but Myoujin has all the Time Beasts on his side. What good is there in holding back if it gets him killed anyway?”  
A pause.  
“… do you think Myoujin would?”  
“He's already tried. If Shindou had any immunity before, that's gone now.” You remember his eyes, his words, his determination. He's already looked death in the eye, back in that manor. You know he'll fight, whether you help him or not. And if he does… “… I want to give him every weapon he can have. It's not just our best bet. It's the best way to keep him safe.”   
Even if it is a risk.  
Lo sighs.  
“If you're that set on it. I'll figure out something.”  
“You said you had data from all his G quest fights, right? Can you isolate the signature of his Chrono Dran ride?”  
“… maybe. You want to recreate it?”  
“Do you think it could work?”  
He takes a few moments to think about it.  
“… it just might. Give me a couple of days at most.”  
You nod.  
“Can you keep searching for the base at the same time?”  
He smirks.  
“That's what the rest of the team is for. I develop, they search. Leave it to me.”

**Chrono**

You go visit Mamoru at the hospital.   
“Sorry it took me so long,” you tell him as the nurse lets you in, scratching the back of your head.  
He's in a wheelchair near the window, and makes it turn to look at you with a smile.  
“It's fine. I'm glad you've come to visit at all.”  
“I wanted to, but...”   
You'd felt guilty. And you'd been scared, really, of seeing someone you'd looked up to so much, who'd guided you so much and had been such a pillar, a reference in your vanguard life, stuck helpless in a hospital bed.  
If they could take down Mamoru, how could any of you stand a chance? It made everything even more real.  
“… after they let me out of the house, I kept worrying about other things,” you finally say. “I'm glad they let you out of bed though.”  
“I was getting rather restless,” he says with a smile. And then his expression darkens. “Chrono. I'm sorry.”  
“Huh? For what?”  
“We adults should be the ones dealing with this situation. To think I'm here waiting while you and Tokoha are out there fighting...”  
You smile. Somehow, you feel weirdly calm. At peace, almost.  
The imminent battle should scare you, but it feels more like everything until then isn't quite real.  
“It's okay. Myoujin would've dragged me into it anyway, I think. And… I have my own reasons for wanting to stop him.”  
He nods.  
“I know you and Tokoha can defend yourselves… but I do hate to let you all go alone. Please be careful. Your lives are precious.”  
You chuckle.  
“You don't need to tell me twice.” You hesitate, then sit on a nearby chair and continue, more quietly. “I got a lot of friends now… I want to be there for them.”  
You're still ready to risk your life, because protecting them comes first. But you want to _see_ the future you're trying to save. You want to be there with them.  
He smiles.  
“I'm glad Tokoha has someone like you as a friend.”  
You hold back a splutter.  
“Wh—”  
Someone knocks on the door. You turn to look at it and escape from the unexpected compliment.  
“Big bro? You awake?”  
“Ah, speak of the devil,” Mamoru says as Tokoha comes in.  
“Were you two talking about me? You better not be badmouthing me behind my back!”  
“Of course not!” you say, almost offended at the idea.  
“I brought you something,” she says, ignoring you to go put down a small paper bag on Mamoru's bedside table.  
“Thank you, Tokoha.”  
“I don't think I'd survive on this hospital food,” she says, taking the seat you've just deserted when she opened the door. “I dunno how you do it.”  
He laughs.  
“With the amounts you and my fans brought and sent, I almost don't eat any.”  
She grins. You find yourself smiling. Watching them sometimes makes you feel a little sad, but mostly it reminds you of the good things in this world.  
“Um… I think I'll go home now...”  
She raises her eyebrows at you.  
“What's up with you?”  
“Don't leave so soon,” Mamoru adds, wheeling closer. “How about a fight? It's been a long time.”  
“I'm still tweaking this deck,” you warn him, pulling it out anyway.  
“Then allow me to help you test it.”

You're halfway through your second stride turn when your and Tokoha's phones vibrate at the same time.  
You blink, distracted for a second, but while Tokoha fishes for hers in her bag with a muttered “huh, weird, is it Ibuki?” Mamoru's guard snaps you right back into the game. You attack again. Behind you, Tokoha gasps.  
“No guard. Tokoha, is something the matter?” he asks, drawing his fifth damage.  
“A-ah. No. I'm fine. Just got a message from a friend.”  
Her attempt at a laugh doesn't seem very convincing, and even Mamoru frowns a little. But she smiles more softly then, trying to reassure him.  
“Really, it's nothing bad. You two should finish your fight,” she adds, grabbing your shoulders and turning you back towards him.  
“Hey!” You sigh. “Fine, fine. Turn end.”  
“Stand and Draw!”

You survive the next turn barely, try to break through his defence with everything you have on your own turn, and get stalled as a generation guard retires your attacking rear-guards. And with three cards including a grade 3 in your hand, you have no choice but to pray for triggers that don't come when his turn comes again.  
“I lost,” you sigh, gathering your cards.  
He smiles.  
“It was a close call. One more attack and you had me.”  
“I'll need more than close calls against Myoujin,” you point out, but you're smiling anyway. Fighting Mamoru is always exciting, no matter the context.  
“You're not fighting him alone,” he says. “If all goes well, maybe it won't come to cardfighting at all.”  
“Kinda weird that we've come to the point where we hope we _won't_ be cardfighting and just go for a peaceful solution like bringing an army,” you mutter.  
He smiles, but it's a dark smile. And straight away, you feel bad.  
“Sorry, I shouldn't—”  
“No, you're right. He really has warped the meaning of this game in a way that is unacceptable. But unfortunately, we won't be able to change that until we beat him.”  
“… yeah.”  
“Not to interrupt,” Tokoha interrupts, “but it _is_ getting late. Bro, you're tired, right? You should rest.”  
“I'm fine, Tokoha.”  
“Nonsense. Mom'll have my head if I let you wear yourself out too much. You get some rest. Come on, Chrono.”  
“Huh?”  
She turns a fraction towards you and glares at you with an intensity that honestly reminds you of Kanzaki at his most dramatic. You swallow and nod.  
“See? Chrono's tired too. What would you guys _do_ without me?” She grabs your shoulders, and your bag. “Well, we're off!”  
And she drags you out despite Mamoru's protest, still smiling brightly.  
“What was _that_ about?” you ask once she's closed the door.  
Her smile falls immediately.  
“That message.”  
“The one you got while we were fighting?”  
She nods.  
“… it's from Am.”

When you finally reach the warehouse you were directed to (you'd considered for a second that it could have been a trap, but Tokoha swore Am wouldn't try to trick her like this if Luna was involved, and you decided to believe her), the first person you see isn't Am, but Shion.  
“What are you two doing here?” he asks, and he actually looks surprised.  
You're about to ask if he got a message too when his face suddenly hardens. You frown, but before you can ask him what's wrong, you catch another set of footsteps, coming from the darkened space between buildings.  
 _This had better not be a trap…_  
The orange of her jacket catches the faint light before anything else. And as she walks out, face downcast and hands held tightly in front of her, it becomes obvious that this isn't a trap. Or if it is, she's a very good actor. There's circles under her eyes, and when she finally looks up, they're all reddened, like she's spent hours crying.  
She's not even dressed for the weather, at least not for the night.  
She catches Shion's eye and flinches, looking back down. Tokoha looks between them, jaw and hands clenched.  
“Shion, are you here for Am too?”  
“No,” he says, and his voice isn't just cold; it's biting and superior, the kind of tone you thought was reserved for Shinonome. “The one who called me there wasn't Am Chouno… but Ace.”  
It's no surprise to any of you at this point. But the way she looks away drives the final nail in. Any doubt any of you could still have is gone.  
You think back to Mamoru in his wheelchair, to Taiyou lying against debris, to Ibuki's sleep deprived eyes, and you can't help but feel angry.  
“… I have a favour to ask of you,” she finally says.  
“A favour?” you ask.  
She takes a breath. Tightens her lips slightly before actually speaking.  
“Please… help me save Luna.”  
“Luna?” Tokoha cries out next to you. “What's wrong with Luna? Is she okay? Is she _safe_ at least?!”  
Her outbursts gets Am to look up again, blinking.  
 _How are you surprised?_ you can't help but think. _Didn't you know how far she'd have gone to protect you and Luna?_  
She looks away again.  
“Luna's… trying to sacrifice herself to open the Stride Gate. She's been...” she says, her voice and chest starting to quiver, “she's been in a coma for a while now… ever since what happened at the Dragon Empire branch… She's become… a tool to summon the units. The Peacemaker.”  
“Wh— … but… why… that's just...”  
“She chose that path for my sake. I'm not worth it, and yet… she went and...” She grinds her teeth and looks up, and she's actually desperate now. “Please… I'm begging you, please help me… There's nothing else I can do, without your help, I…”  
She trails off. You look at Shion, whose eyes haven't softened all this time. At Tokoha, still frozen in horror.  
 _For my sake..._  
Luna's choice… Luna's choice you can understand, maybe. You came close enough yourself, when Ryuzu told you you could fix everything and bring your friends a perfect world. But…  
“… you do realise what you've done to us, right?” you ask her.  
“Of course… of _course_ I know. But… I can't think of any other way to save Luna. I don't _have_ any other way to save her, I have nothing _left_!” She takes a shaky breath and looks up at you, her voice starting to break. “I have to save her—I'll do _anything_! You can punish me however you want, I don't care what happens to me, I'll do whatever you want so please—”  
“That's _enough_!”  
All three of you jump, Am stopping short.   
You can't remember if you've ever heard Shion _yell_.  
He's barely containing the shaking in his voice when you look at him.  
“… I have no intention of forgiving you,” he finally spits out.  
And without another word, he turns his back on her and walks away.  
“… of course.”  
It's only a whisper, but you still turn back to look at her.  
“Of course,” she continues, voice choked and defeated, “what did I expect… after all I did to you… of course you're not going to forgive me… I'm an idiot… for even asking...”  
You're about to ask her to stop, but she looks up, smiling with tears in her eyes.  
“Thank you… for having come anyway.”  
She bows and starts walking away too, in the direction opposite the one Shion took.   
You're not sure what to do. Part of you wants to help, and part of you doesn't. Part of you wants to focus on Luna first, and the other tells you that Shion might not forgive you.  
But if she knows anything about Ryuzu's plans… his base…  
Tokoha comes to her own conclusion before you, stepping forward and calling after her.  
“Wait!” She takes in a shaky breath and takes another step forward, voice even more firm. “I'm not done with you!”  
Am stops. Even from behind, you can feel her bracing.  
“I said I'd give you a piece of my mind next time I see you,” Tokoha continues to scold. “And I've been waiting a long time to do it!”  
You turn towards her, eyebrows raised slightly, but her face is already softening.  
“… but I think you've had enough of that already.”  
Am turns towards the two of you, mouth open in shock.  
“… I… Back then, I couldn't find it in me to stop you two,” Tokoha says, quiet. “Even though we're friends… I… I failed you two that day. So...” she looks up, a tired, tearful smile on her face. “I'm sorry?”  
A choked gasp, and Am looks down, trying to hide her own tears.  
“Am… let's go save Luna together. You and me.”  
It's like her own tears have dried the moment Am's started to fall, and her smile is more serene now, more firm. Like someone who's found their path.  
 _Tokoha Anjou's friendship isn't to be taken lightly!_  
You can't help but smile, just a little.  
“Tokoha… Tokoha, I...I'm...” the tears fall, her voice breaking over actual sobs as her shoulders start shaking. “I'm sorry! _I'm sorry!_ ”  
She starts crying in earnest as Tokoha takes her in her arms and hugs her. You give them a little space before walking closer.  
“Hey, don't forget me.”  
Tokoha raises her eyebrow at you over Am's shoulder.  
“I don't mean the hug,” you explain, rolling your eyes. “I mean I'll help too. Luna tried her best, we can't just leave her there. And you can help us too, right?”  
Am tries to talk, and only manages to sob louder, but you think you got what she meant anyway.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for like... a month again. I got overwhelmed by real life.  
> Another short chapter, because the next one is gonna be Dense.

**Chrono**

“Do you have any place to go?” you ask once everyone's calmed down and Am is once more standing on her own, tired and subdued.  
“Huh?” Tokoha turns towards you, confused, but Am's face stays downcast.  
“You've been with Company for a long time, right? And if you vanished from sight, you were living with them.”  
She nods, still not looking up.  
“Can you go back home on such a short notice, or do you need a place to stay?”  
Tokoha winces.  
“Chrono—”  
“… I don't have a home.”  
She looks up at you, finally. You let her continue.  
“… my parents have been in the hospital since I was a child. I was taken in by one of the institutions related to the Association, before they recruited me for idol work.”  
A shiver runs down your spine. How many of those institutions are there? You'd gotten a warm feeling from them, but what if there was more to them?  
Parentless children make a perfect indoctrination target, after all. And Ryuzu's good at hitting where it hurts the most.  
Even with you…  
“You can come to my house,” Tokoha says.  
“And sleep in your brother's room?” Her tone is derisive and slightly bitter, and Tokoha flinches. “… sorry. Thank you, Tokoha, but… I don't know if I can.”  
“It's okay, I… I understand.”  
You sigh.  
“I'll call Mikuru, see if you can come to my place.”  
“Huh?”  
“The sofa's good enough, right? I'm not sure we have a spare futon, I never invited people over as a kid...”  
“It's fine… thank you.”

**It's perfectly fine! I won't be home tonight anyway. You can order something if you want to eat with your friends, it's on me.**  
“Mikuru says it's okay,” you tell them, sending her a thank you message.  
“Oh thank goodness.”  
“… thank you.”  
You give her a half-smile.  
“Hey, it's fine. Tokoha, wanna come eat too?”  
“Me?”  
“I'll cook something nice. I think we all need cheering up.”  
She smiles, a little tearful.  
“Ah… yeah… thank you.”  
“Let's go, then. And when we're there, Am, you tell us everything you know. We'll need any info we can if we want to save Luna.”  
And for her, the time may be even more short than for Ryuzu's plan to be stopped. 

“Let's start at the beginning, then. When did you start working for Myoujin?” you ask, keeping your eyes on the meat you're preparing.  
“A couple of years ago. They ran me through a series of tests when I was younger, and told me I was selected. He… he told me that I could save my parents. I was sick of waiting for them to wake up, I felt so powerless...” She sighs. “So I joined. I started training even harder, on top of my idol work. Physically, and with Vanguard too.”  
She falls silent. You start beating your egg, put your oil to heat.  
“… Luna didn't know. Until really recently, she didn't know anything. She was selected too, and assigned as my partner, but they didn't try to make her do anything else… I guess she had no good reason to want the world to change.”  
“Until you.”  
“Chrono!”  
“No, he's right. It's my fault.”  
You wince and look up.  
“I didn't mean it like that.”  
She shakes her head.  
“It's fine. It… it _is_ my fault. And I didn't even realise how precious she was until it was too late...”  
“You know,” you start, a little slow as you try not to burn yourself, “when I first met her, she told us she wanted to learn Vanguard for someone important. She was really determined to get better to connect with you.”  
You risk a quick look at her. She's looking down, shoulders hunched, her hands wrung on her lap.  
“My _point_ is,” you continue, “she really wanted to be close to you and cheer you up. And just beating yourself up isn't gonna help with that.”  
“I—what do you want me to _do_ , then?”  
“Just own up to it, and then fix your mistakes and keep walking.” You shoot her a quick smile. “But you got a head start on that first part, right.”  
“… thank you.” She pauses, then takes a deep breath. “I'm ready to take whatever Kiba wants to throw at me after this, I just… I want to save Luna first.”  
“Then tell him that, maybe.”  
“Mmm.”  
“Do you know where Luna is being held?” Tokoha asks.  
“She's in a room at the center of the facility… you can't reach her without working through the computers, she's in a bubble in the middle of the room.”  
“Wait...” Tokoha says. “You just came from there, right? You know where their base is! We could storm it right now! If we call Ibuki—”  
“Not gonna work,” you sigh.  
“Huh?”  
“When we did that the first time… I talked to Ryuzu while you guys got stalled, remember? He said storming it was a mistake. All his talk about peaceful talk is bullshit, of course, but… he's probably prepared for it, and he could give us the slip _again_ , and then we'd be even worse off. And besides… the units won't be there. We need to find a way to deal with them first, so we can strike everywhere at the same time.”  
“I agree,” Am says. “I want to save Luna as quickly as possible, but… the place's well defended. And if he can use the power of the units he already has against us...”  
“Warning Ibuki's a good idea, though. Tokoha, can you pass me my phone? It's in my jacket.”  
“Sure.”  
You start frying as she hands it to you, and nod towards the counter so she'll put it down.  
“Do you think you can draw us a map, though?” she asks as she walks back to lean against the table.  
“Yeah. I know where the entrances are, too.”  
“I got another question,” you finally ask, staring at your boiling oil to avoid looking them in the face. “Has anyone in Company mentioned using me for anything?”  
She stays silent for a few moments.  
“No,” she finally answers, voice a little suspicious. “Wakamizu was in charge of the system, and he never said anything—he was jealous of you though.”  
“Huh!?” You look up. “Me? Why?”  
“Something about Myoujin being fixated on you. I think he was mad Myoujin wasn't paying enough attention to him and his _perfect_ machines,” she adds with a snort.  
“He can have it,” you mumble.  
But unless she just didn't hear about it, it makes Ibuki's first theory even more unlikely. If Wakamizu was as prone to boasting as they all say, surely he'd have said something if he'd found a way to leech you from a distance. Between that and what he told you on the phone, you feel a little safer.  
“He said you weren't needed with his perfect system. Although not in front of Myoujin, mind.”  
And that just confirms your suspicions.  
But if it's not that, then what is it?

The three of you eat. To your relief, it brings some colours back to Tokoha's cheeks, and even Am's face looks a bit less strained.  
“Aaaah, it's goood,” Tokoha sighs as she hunts down the last of her rice.  
You smile.  
“I'd have made you croquettes, but I didn't have any potatoes.”  
“I could have gone and picked up some for you, there's a convenience store not far.”  
“Yeah, true. I just didn't think about it.”  
“Well, I guess we all had other priorities.”  
Am stays silent. You eye her quietly, trying to think of something to say. But you've never been close to Am. Luna, a little bit, but Am only really talked to Tokoha in the time you've known her.  
Which probably should have been a hint, but you'd been so focused on other things, and until you fought Ibuki, you didn't even know that there was something to look out for.  
Tokoha gently puts her hand down on Am's clenched one.  
“Am. We'll save her.”  
“How? How can we win against them? I wasn't strong enough, and they have almost all the units—maybe all of them by now. I can't summon anything to help us… Even if I went as far as giving my life for it, I can't do anything without a depend card...”  
“Am, don't talk like that—”  
“Why not? What does it matter? I got Luna dragged into all this, I ruined Kiba's life, I helped her almost kill your brother—”  
“You're my friend!”  
She shuts up, cut off by Tokoha's outburst.  
“When Shion got cold feet after Shinonome beat him, Chrono and I didn't let him run. You think I'm gonna let _you_ run now?”  
“I...”  
“For better or for worse, you're my friend. And that means I'm gonna scream at you if I need to but I'm not gonna just let you run away or give up. I'm gonna help you, so you better get used to it. And even if you went and joined the bad guys again, I'd drag your ass right back!”  
You all stare at her. She huffs and sits back down, downing her last grains of rice.  
After a few moments of silence, you smile.  
“Well, you've been warned. And I'm not getting between you and an angry Tokoha, so good luck.”  
“ _You_ don't start.”  
“I didn't do anything!”  
“You almost joined him too!”  
“Yeah well I didn't!”  
“Well good, because I'd have dragged your ass back too!”  
In your peripheral vision, you think you see Am smile.

“Here, are those enough blankets?”  
“Yeah.”  
She sits on the edge of the sofa, once Tokoha's gone and the two of you are left alone. You pile the second blanket on top of the first, and go back to put the leftovers in the fridge, and your dishes in the sink. You'll deal with them once you've had a little time to breathe.  
“… how do you cook at a time like this?” she asks.  
“Huh?”  
“You know. We might have to fight at any moment, and Luna's in their hands, and you're...” she gestures in your general direction. “I dunno how you do it.”  
“… it calms me down.”  
It's her turn to look up at you in surprise.  
“It helps me focus—or when I _don't_ want to think about something, it keeps me occupied. And it's… it's something I can do, y'know? Makes me feel a bit productive.”  
After a few moments, she nods.  
“I think I get it.”  
“Also… we can't just stop living just because something might happen. You gotta keep going forward.” You smile a little. “It's reminding me… I'm fighting to protect this too. My everyday life. My aunt. It's all part of the future I want to protect.”  
She stays silent. You put the last glass in the dishwasher and close it.  
“… y'know, while we're on confessions...”  
You walk closer.  
“Hm?”  
“… I was jealous of you. I still am, actually.”  
You blink.  
“Why me?”  
“Your power's much bigger than me or even Luna's, right? If… if it had been you… you could've done it… you could've taken her place, when I couldn't… Maybe you wouldn't even have lost yourself like she did.”  
You stare at her in silence.  
“… sorry,” she finally says. “Sure you still want me here?”  
You roll your eyes.  
“I'm not gonna throw you out.”  
“… thanks. Sorry.”  
Silence falls. You wait, a little awkwardly, wondering if there's anything else you can do to keep your hands occupied.  
“… what was she talking about? When she said you almost joined him?”  
Oh.  
“… the day you attacked Dragon Empire… I was with him. He tried to get me to join.”  
“… I didn't know about that.”  
“You know he kidnapped me afterwards, right?”  
“Yeah. But him being with you before… I know he was in contact with Shinonome, but if he told him, he didn't pass the message along.” She snorts. “Not that I'm surprised. The only thing you can expect from that guy is a headache.”  
“I think he might have been trying to keep me away while you attacked. To make sure I couldn't help.” You pause. “… or that I wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. I dunno which is worse.”  
“Wouldn't it be in his interest to put you out of commission? Since Luna turned out to be fine as peacemaker.”  
You're not sure to explain. There's always been something off with the way Ryuzu looked at you, talked to you. Like he wanted you for more than your power.  
Wanting to possess what was left of your father, maybe.  
But explaining that sounds horribly self-centered.  
“It's...”  
Your head spins.  
You black out for a second, all strength draining from your limbs, and as you barely catch yourself on the sofa's armrest, a strange light fills your vision, blinding you.  
You choke.  
“Shindou!”  
A hand grabs your arm and pushes you—you try to flail, but fall over—into the sofa's support. The strange light still shines, but through it you can barely see Am's face.  
_Too late_ , a voice in your mind says.  
_Chronofang—_  
It's not over! Chronotherapy.  
_Can he still…_  
Only hope...  
And you see them, in front of you, the stars through the glass, as the other Time Beasts shine at your sides.  
“Shindou! What's going on!”  
The light fades, and with it so do the vision and the strange weightlessness. You blink, gasping, and try to focus your eyes on her face.  
“Shindou!”  
“I'm—” Your throat feels raw, like you haven't used it in too long, like you can't remember how to speak. “I'm okay...”  
“What happened!?”  
You close your eyes, cursing inwardly.  
“We need to call Ibuki, now.”  
“Why, what's—”  
“They just summoned the final unit.”

**Ibuki**

In less than five minutes after Chouno's phonecall, you're in your car and driving as fast as you safely can.  
_Why does this keep happening..._  
After the report Katsuragi had made, you'd had hope that Chrono would be all right. A small comfort considering it meant their last summon was imminent, but one that did make you feel better nonetheless. But now it turns out you were wrong, yet again.  
_What am I missing… what's going on with this man's plans that both my intel and my reasoning failed to notice it?_  
You park in front of the building, input the code and rush in, biting your lip as the elevator rises slowly, too slowly. And finally, you reach his door and ring.  
It's Chouno who opens. You give her a look that you hope isn't too resentful before taking a breath and asking:  
“Is Shindou all right?”  
She stares up at you, dark at first, and then with a hint of dark humour.  
“You're even faster than he predicted.”  
You stay in place, unsure how to deal with her comment. She sighs, and moves back.  
“Anyway, come in.”  
You walk in, take your shoes off somewhat hurriedly. He's sitting on the sofa when you finally see him, walking past the mass of the kitchen area. Wrapped in a blanket and holding a mug with both hands.  
“Chrono...”  
It was quiet, but you see him look up anyway, and he gives you a tired half-smile.  
“I said I'm okay, you didn't need to rush all the way here.”  
“I wanted to.”  
You move closer, put a hand on his forehead. It's a little warm, but not as blazing hot as it had been after he fainted last time. When you look at him from this close, he does seem a little pale, and tired, but not otherwise hurt. You breathe out a sigh of relief.  
“I did warn Lo like you told me to,” you point out.  
“Good.” He hesitates. “Shouldn't you be with him?”  
“Making sure you're all right is important too.”  
He chuckles.  
“Thanks, I guess.”  
“Do you want a coffee?”  
You start at the sound of Chouno's voice; you'd almost forgotten her. You turn towards her, working your brain through her deadpan question.  
“I made some for him, there's some left,” she elaborates.  
“… yes please.”  
“Thanks, Am.”  
She shrugs.  
“No problem. It's your house.”  
“I'd be doing it, but—”  
“Yeah, _you_ stay put. I'll get the coffee.”  
You hesitate, then pull yourself a chair closer and sit on it. He gives you a side smile.  
“Gonna be a long night, huh?”  
“I set things into motion. We'll have a strategy meeting tomorrow.”  
He nods.  
“I'll be there.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“You need me, right? Even with...” He hesitates. “… or maybe you don't.”  
You swallow, forcing your dry throat to work.  
“… I would be honoured to fight at your side. Special power or no.”  
He chuckles.  
“What happened to 'damn brat'?”  
Somehow, it manages to pull a slight, relieved smile out of you.  
“You haven't been calling me an old man either.”  
“You grew up.” He pauses. “… that made sense in my head.”  
You laugh. Silent, but real, quick jerks of your chest that feel strangely liberating.  
“I suppose I did. … thank you.”  
“Huh? For what!?”  
“For giving me a chance.”  
He stares at you, then looks away, pouting slightly.  
“Don't get all mushy on me now, you're making me look uncool.”  
“I'd say your health is more important than your coolness right now.”  
“… I'm fine. I'll be there tomorrow.”  
“I'll be there too,” Chouno says, handing you a mug of coffee with no ceremony. “I might not know everything, but I can give you the layout of the place… and I know how the gate works.” She pauses. “Actually, I can tell you right now.”  
“It'll be best to tell it to everyone.” You hesitate. “… but I'd appreciate if you gave me some insight on the layout right now, just in case.”  
“Just in case what?” Chrono asks, frowning.  
“In case anything happens before then, I can try to launch a diversion.”  
“Don't go running in there on your own.”  
He's said it calmly, but there's still something stern and final about his voice. You wince.  
He really does know you too well.  
“… I can't promise I won't as a last resort… but I agree it's best to try and avoid it.”  
He glares. You avert your eyes.  
“Chouno, if you please.”  
She nods.  
“D'you have some paper?”  
Chrono sighs.  
“On my desk.”  
“I'll go get it.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOOD AFTERNOON  
> SHIT IS FINALLY GETTING REAL

**Ibuki**

You leave Chrono's house, and are halfway to your own when your phone rings. You slide into a thankfully empty parking spot and answer.  
“Yes?”  
“How's Chrono,” Lo's voice comes from the phone.  
“He's… fine. The shock shook him, but I didn't see any lasting averse effects. Nothing new, anyway.”  
“Is he sure about the unit thing?”  
“I believe him. And it's coherent with our previous reports and what Chouno said.”  
“Do you trust her?”  
“… Shindou does. I trust his judgement.”  
And you understand, after all, the feeling of wanting to protect someone above all else. Maybe she and you have more in common than it would seem at first glance.  
“… if you say so. Well drop by the lab right now if you can.”  
“Do you have any news?”  
“Not on the base. But I finished the device you asked me for.”  
You take a slow, deep breath. Relief, and fear, mixed in the same too-tight air.  
“I'll be right there.”

**Chrono**

The next morning, you and Am head out to Card Capital for Ibuki's meeting.  
“Doesn't he have a better meeting place than a card shop?” she grumbles.  
“Well, you kind of destroyed the last one,” you point out.  
She flinches.  
“… sorry.”  
“Anyway, it's a place we all go to regularly, so I guess it's less conspicuous?” You shrug. “You can just ask him yourself.”  
“I'll pass. We don't exactly get along.”  
“He's not hard to get along with.”  
She turns to you, giving you the most disbelieving stare you've ever seen.  
“No, really. He's awkward, but he's not mean. You just have to be nice to him.” You pause. “… and tell him when he's being weird, sometimes, but he's getting better at that part.”  
She snorts.  
“… Ibuki's not the real problem here, though,” you sigh. “I'm more worried—”  
“I'll speak to Kiba myself.”  
You turn to look at her. She keeps walking, looking straight ahead.  
“That's my responsibility. I can't make you do it.”  
“You think he'll come around?”  
“I don't know. But I'll try. We're still gonna have to fight towards the same general goal, it's in both our interests to actually cooperate. And… I might be guilty, but Luna isn't. I don't think his sense of justice will let him forsake her.”  
You hope she's right. Honestly, considering Shion, you're not entirely sure he wouldn't consider Luna guilty too, after she went back to Ryuzu herself, no matter her motivation.  
But also, it's Shion, who doesn't tolerate picking on the weak. Who stands up for his friends.  
If only for you and Tokoha, you hope he'll come around.  
_We need all the strength we can get..._

You run into Tokoha on the steps leading up to Card Capital.  
“Am! Chrono!”  
She runs up to meet you, her face torn between worry and what seems like genuine happiness at seeing the two of you.  
“Hey,” you tell her. “Slept well?”  
“Took me forever, but once I did, I slept like a log.” She poses, showing off her (mostly invisible, but very efficient, in your experience) biceps. “I'm ready for anything.”  
“Give me some of that sleep,” Am sighs, but you laugh.  
“Good to know one of us got some rest. Is Shion already there?”  
She darkens a little.  
“Not yet, I think. But I'm sure he'll come. At the very least, he'll want all the information he can get.”  
“Yeah.”  
Silence falls, a little awkward.  
_Well… might as well go up and talk to Ibuki at least..._  
“… all this waiting is making me so nervous,” Tokoha sighs. “My kind of plan is—remember when Shion told us we should go back to United Sanctuary just to shut them up by winning at their own tournament?”  
You chuckle.  
“Yeah. That was kind of an asshole move, honestly, I'd feel bad if it wasn't Demise.”  
She grins a little.  
“I know, right? It was great. But anyway, see, _that_ 's my kind of plan. You go in, you fight, you let righteous fury carry you through. Or pettiness. Both work.”  
You laugh.  
“I just hate waiting okay?” she continues, but she's smiling now at least.  
“Hey, I'm not blaming you.”  
“Oh boy, here we go,” Am mutters.  
You turn. A block away, Shion's just turned into the street, and his face has already hardened as he saw Am with you.  
He walks closer. You feel her take a deep breath.  
“… Kiba,” she finally says, as he makes to go up the stairs without even addressing any of you.  
“I have nothing to say to you.”  
“Well I do.” She swallows. “… please?”  
For a moment, you think he's going to refuse. And then, to your relief, he sighs, and starts climbing the stairs.  
You know him well enough by now that a hint of a smile pulls at the corner of your mouth.  
_Do you really have to be dramatic..._  
“You have five minutes,” he calls, not even turning.  
Tokoha chuckles, and pushes Am gently forward.  
The two of them climb up and out of view.  
“… well,” she says, “maybe we should—”  
Above you, a window slides open noisily.  
“Chrono! Tokoha!”  
You look up to see Taiyou, leaning out of the shop's windows.  
“Taiyou!”  
“There's no time—come up!”  
“Huh? What's the matter?”  
“Mr. Ibuki said we have trouble.”

“I'm trying to get Lo on video chat,” Ibuki says without even looking at the two of you when you come out. “He thinks Myoujin is about to make his move.”  
“Already!?”  
“He knows we're not far behind him; if he's summoned his last unit, he has no reason to wait around for us to catch up.” He turns towards you, finally. “Didn't Chouno come with you?”  
“She's talking with Shion.”  
He gasps a little, then nods, his face hardening again. Next to him, the computer lets out a ringing noise.  
“Ah, here we go.”  
Christopher's face appears on the screen.  
“Ibuki?”  
“I can see and hear you fine.”  
“All right. Well, we're in a bit of a pinch. Stride Force levels have been on the rise ever since last night. And not just here, either; this is a global phenomenon. And its rise is too fast and regular to be explained by even extraordinary fighting activity.” He sighs. “At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if the gate opened in the next few hours.”  
Ibuki nods.  
“Alert everyone we have abroad, too. I'll take care of things here and move as soon as a plan of action is in place.”  
“Roger that. Leave the backup to me, then. I'll keep an eye on things.”  
“Thanks. I'm counting on you.”  
“Don't forget to send me whatever intel you find.”  
“I won't.”  
He exits the chat and starts pulling up other documents on his computer. You lie back against your seat a little. The atmosphere is horribly tense, like caged animals waiting for a door to open.  
None of you can really do anything. But at the same time, every second counts. To stop Ryuzu. To save Luna before it's too late. Each and every one of you wants, needs to throw themselves into the fight, but there's nothing you can do yet, except plan.  
And, in this case, also wait for Shion to come around, hopefully.  
You catch sight of Tokoha, looking even more worried than you.  
“… I'm sure it'll be fine,” you try to reassure her.  
“Mm.”  
“Shion might be an ass, but he's not that mean.”  
She nods, the shade of an attempted smile on her lips.  
“Flattering.”  
“He called me stupid, I get to call him that. But he's our friend, Tokoha.”  
“I know.”  
“Are you all right?”  
You turn back to find Ibuki standing in front of you.  
“I'm fine,” you tell him with a small smile. “Seen worse.”  
“Nothing new since last night?”  
You shake your head.  
He nods, and goes back to his computer without another word. Tokoha raises an eyebrow at you, and you were about to shrug when Shion walks back into the shop, followed by Am.  
“Let's do this,” he says.  
Tokoha beams.  
“Then—”  
“Only for Luna's sake, and only until Myoujin is defeated.”  
“I'll give you all the information I have,” Am says, stepping in front of him and walking to the nearest table. “Does anyone have paper?”  
Shin brings her a few sheets, and she starts scribbling while Ibuki turns on his video chat again, tilting it so the camera can target the table.  
“I'm set,” Christopher's voice comes from it. “I warned Aichi and the others too.”  
“Okay, here's how the base works in general. The room Luna is in is the largest, and takes up most of the facility—the corridors circle around it. And the machinery that powers it is underneath. Mr Ibuki, do you have the map I made yesterday?”  
He nods, and goes to pick up a few sheets from next to his computer.  
“I scanned them earlier to send them.”  
She spreads them in front of you, both the map of the facility itself and the map leading to it, and you feel your eyes widen.  
“Are you _kidding_ —”  
“That was so obvious,” Tokoha groans. “Hidden in plain sight.”  
“But how...” Taiyou asks.  
“Everything's underground,” Ibuki answers, and Am nods.  
“It allows them to transmit information and energy to the satellite more precisely,” she explains. “And it means Luna is right under it in the centre.”  
“So if we grab Luna, would the entire thing collapse?” Tokoha asks. “… the gate, I mean, not the building—I _hope_ it wouldn't do that...”  
“Possibly, but that's not gonna be easy. The bubble she's in isn't reachable from the ground, nor from the platform with the controls. And _those_ aren't going to be easy to work with without a key. We'd have to hack them.”  
“I can do that if our communications aren't cut,” Christopher says. “But you'll need to connect me to it somehow.”  
“I could try with my phone, but would it have the right port? Myoujin seems to think of everything, surely he'd have his own cable design.”  
He turns to Am, who looks down.  
“I… I don't know. I'm not good with technology.”  
“I'll think on it,” Christopher says. “Keep going.”  
“As you know, they've already summoned the final Time Beasts… so according to the schedule, they should have moved on to opening the gate.”  
“That's confirmed, then,” Christopher sighs. “Great.”  
“The Time Beasts are like the engine that makes the Stride Gate run… but the Peacemaker is like the battery that powers the engine. The energy she provides is what allows the Stride Gate to take shape.”  
“And the gate itself?” Tokoha asks.  
“The Stride Gate is like...” her mouth twists for a fraction of second as she tries to word it, “a space that connects Cray to Earth, and allows to directly access the truth of the universe. By having the final judgement take place in this connected space, the world should be reborn into a perfect future.”  
You bite back the bitter words that form at the back of your mind, and just nod.  
“A final judgement?” Taiyou starts, but Jaime interrupts him, finally butting into the conversation.  
“So what's Myoujin trying to become? God? Buddha?”  
Am shoots him a dirty look, but Ibuki continues the briefing as if he hadn't heard anything.  
“Our first priority is to prevent them from opening the gate. If we're successful, I can interrogate Myoujin about his motives properly after we've captured him.”  
Something buzzes against your thigh. It takes you a second to register it, your brain finally catching up as the phone's ringtone reaches your ears.  
_At a time like this..._  
“Sorry,” you mutter, reaching for it. If it's Mikuru…  
You look at the caller ID and stop in your tracks.  
It's not anyone you have recorded in your contacts. But you still know this number by heart, after the hours you've spent staring at the first message he sent you, weeks ago.  
_Ryuzu..._  
A chill runs down your spine. You can't even make yourself look up at the others as you pick up, a sense of inevitability more than dread already settling cold in your stomach.  
“The time has come,” Ryuzu's voice comes as soon as you bring the phone to your ear, without waiting for your answer. “Come to the tower. If you still intend to try and oppose me, that is.”  
“Wait—”  
He hangs up and you grit your teeth.  
“Who was it?” Tokoha asks, eyes narrowed. You swallow, try to answer. “ _Chrono!_ ”  
“It's Ryuzu.” You take in a shaky breath, and look up at Am. “He knows you're with us.”  
“Of course,” Ibuki mutters.  
“He said… He said. 'Come to the tower.'”

In less than three minutes, you've gathered your decks, given a couple of last minute instructions, and exited the building, running.  
“Katsuragi, Anjou, Chouno,” Ibuki calls out as you run down the stairs, “you evade Myoujin as much as possible and try to make your way to Yumizuki. The rest of us will make a frontal assault.”  
“What do we even do if we find her?” Tokoha half-yells, jumping the last couple of steps.  
“The video chat wasn't cut; hopefully you can still contact Lo with your phones. And if not, I trust you three to use brute force.”  
“Can do,” she grits out.  
You don't waste time talking. There's something building up in your chest, choking you, spreading to your head with dizzying focus, and you're not sure it's just apprehension. You need—you need to go forward. You need to reach the gate. Next to you, Ibuki catches up, running just half a step ahead like a shield.  
You run. Around you, people gasp as you rush past, but you feel far, far away from them.  
And then he's there. With no warning, you turn a corner to see him standing on the other side of the street, right between you and the path to the tower. He smiles as he sees you, lowering the phone that he'd kept in his hand.  
The smugness, the theatrics send a bolt of anger through you.  
“Ryuzu Myoujin!” you yell.  
He stares at you and smirks. Slowly, deliberately, lets his hand open.  
For a fraction of second, your eyes flick to the source of movement, caught on reflex, and when you pull them back to their target, it's like the world's collapsed around you.  
You gasp.  
_It's like with Ren—no—it's—_  
You don't have time to think. Your vision blurs back into focus, and the first think you hear is his voice.  
_His_ voice, his adult voice, that you only heard once before he died, and also… also…  
“Ryuzu, that's incredible!”  
You look up. There's your father, too, the both of them staring at a machine, a card made of light shining from within.  
It's the first time you've ever seen him clearly. Your throat tightens.  
“No, it's all thanks to you,” the adult Ryuzu says. “Thanks to you, I can finally complete the depend cards.” Your father grins, and he turns towards him, smile warm. “Thank you, Rive. The power of your imagination has allowed this experiment to make crucial progress. It's thanks to you that this is becoming a reality.”  
“Hey, you're the one who gave it shape,” your father answers, giving his shoulder a gentle punch. “This wouldn't have become real otherwise.”  
You stare. Were they really that close? The looks between them are fond, and Ryuzu—Ryuzu just takes the punch with a smile, an air of warmth and satisfaction on his face.  
You can barely imagine him letting someone touch him, even in his child form, and yet here he is, not even a step away from your father, letting himself be almost manhandled.  
_Is this real?_  
“This is a card of hope,” your father continues, turning back to the machine. “If it connects our planet and Cray, then we can...”  
“Yes,” Ryuzu answers. “We can use it to change the future.”  
You stare at the two of them, and you still can't _remember_.  
“I really believed it at the time,” Ryuzu's voice says from behind you. His child voice, the one you've come to know better than you'd like. “I believed that Rive and I could change the world together. That our meeting… was fate. Guidance from the truth of the universe itself.” You turn to look at him. He's staring down at himself, melancholic yearning on his face. “Just like I thought it was fate that brought you back into my hands.” He looks up, then, and his face hardens. “But Rive betrayed me. And I was left alone again.”  
The image blurs. Another memory, a prosthetic mask applied to cover an eye that even his technology couldn't regrow, not yet. Wakamizu, recruited, given all the funds he'd always wanted in exchange for his loyalty. The first stages of GIRS development, and the feeling, deep, frustrated, that it wasn't enough. Never enough.  
What worth was a flickering image when he'd seen a unit itself be carried away by the man he'd once trusted?  
And again and again, desperate attempts to wake the depend cards' potential, to bring a unit to this world once more. At the cost of his own life, if need be.  
In vain.  
“How...” the adult Ryuzu breathes out, shaking from yet another attempt. “The key is _right there_. How can I obtain the power… the power to truly grasp the world… to seize the future?” And he curls up on himself, calling, like a child, more like a child than his current form has ever been, and you shiver. “Tell me… please tell me...” He's almost sobbing now, and you realise you're afraid. “I don't care what becomes of me! I'll make any sacrifice! So tell me! How… how do I reach the perfect future… in which no one fights or gets hurt…”  
“Is that what you wish for?”  
You jump.  
_That voice… Where..._  
You know that voice. It calls for you from deep within you, a memory you can't place, rings with recognition like your father's never did.  
It's… It's…!  
Ryuzu's vision blurs before you can grasp it, and yours with it, plunged into darkness and the stillness of air that's been frozen in time.  
“So… you're the one who received my prayer.”  
Light shines, but you barely need it. You can feel the walls around you, as strongly as if you were tangible. Cold, deep. High cliffs closing off a small cave.  
Ryuzu gasps.  
_Chronofang..._  
He's bound, sealed by the powers of Gear Chronicle. This place is so obviously their doing, from the floor's pattern to the still, timeless air. Deep in the earth, forgotten by the passing of time.  
“Who are you…?” Ryuzu whispers.  
“One who shares the same wish as you.”  
He blinks, and as he stares familiar words come, in Chronofang's voice this time, and you shudder because you've heard them before.  
“Conflict will not end in this universe. Countless lives are lost for nothing. Tears of grief are shed.”  
Even in your incorporeal body, you feel sick.  
“We have merely watched from beyond time,” Chronofang continues. “Observing. And we have done nothing about it, all this time.” He snarls, and pulls on his restraints, and immediately they flare, zap him with energy to keep him bound. “We are not allowed to interfere,” he says, bitter and almost mocking. “We are told our power is too great, that it would upset the balance of the universe and warp everything. And this… this is what happens if we try to defy that rule,” he adds, flexing his hands again.  
_I will make any sacrifice_ , you hear again, and it's not in Ryuzu's voice.  
“Human,” Chronofang calls out, “you who has shared my wish. I can grant your prayer. But are you prepared? Are you prepared to stand against the whole universe? To be hated? Cursed? Are you prepared to stand your ground,” and the words echo again, and you shake, “even if it means making any sacrifice?”  
And Ryuzu laughs. Joy, disbelief, _relief_.  
He stands tall, and walks, closer and closer to Chronofang and his prison.  
“Of course. I have decided to save my world, no matter the price I have to pay.”  
“Then from this moment on, we are comrades!”  
Ryuzu reaches for him, and of course, of _course_ a human wouldn't be bound by the same rules, the same magic, and the prison weakens, shatters as Chronofang pulls against it.  
“Your wish is my command,” Chronofang says. “From now on, there is only one path in front of us.”  
Ryuzu smiles, and offers him his hand.  
“My name is Ryuzu. Ryuzu Myoujin.”  
“I am one of the Zodiac Time Beasts, from the Gear Chronicle clan. I am the one who transcends time to carry out my mission of protecting the universe. My name… is Chronofang Tiger.”  
He reaches down, and takes Ryuzu's hand in his own, surprisingly gentle. You've never seen him this careful.  
And before you know it, you're back in Ryuzu's lab, his body crumbling, Chronofang's card awakened in his hand.  
“Rive… I don't need your help anymore,” he gasps out. “This is the future I desire.”  
And he grasps the card tight, and despite the blood trickling out of his mouth, he laughs.

“That is the path I've been on ever since,” Ryuzu's voice whispers in your ear, and it's young again, but also older, colder. “And now the final judgement will begin.”  
_Wait._  
There's too much that doesn't make sense—and Chronofang— _Chronofang_ —  
“I'm sure the truth of the universe will show that we are in the right.”  
“Wait! Ryuzu, wait!”  
You try to grab him, but there is no body for you to hold on to, and before you can regain your balance the light of the real world blinds you again, crashing in your senses all at once, making you reel.  
His phone finally falls, and you blink, gasp, try to tell him to _wait_ , but he smiles, and spreads his arms.  
“Stride Gate… released.”

**Ibuki**

You feel Chrono almost stumble before anything else, wavering like Myoujin's phone itself has hit him directly. He gasps; you take a step forward to catch him, but before you can Myoujin's voice pulls your eyes back up towards him.  
“Stride Gate… released.”  
Light bursts from the tower behind him, bleaching the colours from your sight, and shoots towards the sky.  
Chrono shakes. You look away from Myoujin, from the light; he's pressing his hands to his ears, fighting a voice you can't hear.  
“Stop… Chronofang, _stop_!”  
_What..._  
You catch his shoulders, but he doesn't even seem to feel you.  
“Now show me...” you look up again, as Myoujin spreads his arms and calls, stealing those so familiar words, _Chrono_ 's words— “the world I truly desire!”  
And the light hits him, hits you, drowns everything around you, and it's only after you've blinked the white that you can see the column at the center.  
“Stride… Generation!”  
It takes you a few seconds to realise it's spreading.  
“Once the future of Cray is converted by the Stride Gate,” Myoujin's voice sounds from the tower of light as the ripples reach further and further, “our imagination will become reality. Now come… picture it with me… The perfect future all of you desire!”  
The wave hits you.  
In your arms, Chrono crumbles, unconscious.

You almost drop him. Fear zaps your body into action and you crouch to catch him before he can hit the ground, but around you other bodies fall. You clench your teeth and press fingers to his neck, feeling for his pulse.  
_Not again..._  
A faint beat against your fingers. You'd have sobbed from relief if everything else hadn't been so grim.  
“Wake up… _wake up!_ ”  
He doesn't move. Around you, the others don't move. As far as you can see when you look up, people are lying on the ground, and Chrono in your arms still doesn't respond to your voice.  
_Is this your perfect world, Myoujin?!_  
You'd been so close. So close to finding him, to stopping him. So close, and Chrono promising to fight at your side.  
But you're alone again. Like always.  
_Not quite._  
You're alone, maybe, but you're not defenseless. And you have—you still have the one thing that might wake him up. That might disrupt the gate itself.  
You take a deep breath and lower him carefully to the ground. Feel the small device in your pocket. Stand.  
And run straight for the gate.  
_I'll stop you, no matter what it takes_.  
Even if you have to fight alone again.

**Chrono**

Somewhere in the darkness, a clock beeps.  
You don't want to open your eyes. It's too early still; you're so _tired_ , drowsy, and darkness's warmth is too soft and cosy to want to leave it.  
You've been so tired. You want to rest.  
The beeping continues, speeds up. You growl, and sit, and turn the alarm clock off.  
There's already light coming from the window.  
_This late?…_  
You push yourself off the bed, make your way to the kitchen.  
“Good morning...”  
Rive is already sitting at the table, not even glancing up from his newspaper. And your mom…  
You smile at her as she turns towards you and waves, and you're about to ask her why she didn't wake you up when she opens her mouth to speak.  
You can't hear her.  
“… Mom?”  
She tilts her head to the side, says something again.  
Silence.  
Your breath is cold.  
“Ah, good morning Chrono,” your father says, and you turn back to him, a chill running up your spine.  
“Good morning!”  
_Why..._  
You turn, slowly, towards the door you came through, towards your voice, towards the boy with red hair and green eyes sleepily waving at you, and there are tears in your eyes, and static in your ears.

You open your eyes to the rainbow waves of the Stride Gate washing over the sky, and you're crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who's made it this far: thank you. The Actual Plot of this fic is finally picking up, as you can see <3 Stride Gate was just the opening~  
> Thank you all for your support, it means the world to me  
> (and to my kind anons, I reply to every review, so don't hesitate to check back for replies!)


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for taking so long. This chapter was much harder to write than it should have been.  
> The next one might be slow to come, too, because writing fights is hell.  
> (On the bright side, I have over 20k worth of things written for after the first climax, so things will speed up a bit after that)

**Chrono**

You stare at the sky, and try to swallow the feeling that nothing in your life has ever been real.  
Next to you, a muffled sob. On your other side, Shion rising to his knees, muttering under his breath.  
You don't want to move.  
“A dream? Were we… asleep?” Tokoha says, her voice faint.  
“Is that… his perfect world?” Shion. Shaky.  
 _Is it? Is this what perfect would be? A mom, and dad, and…  
… and their son. And me.  
I'm..._  
You press your hand to your eyes, try to _think_ , to remember. It doesn't make any _sense_ but there's too much to ignore it.   
_Ibuki. Maybe Ibuki will know. I need to tell him, I—_  
“Kamui!”  
You blink, and roll to your side, and look up. Kamui's still on the ground, Shion next to him, trying to shake him awake. Jaime, just a bit to the side, and he hasn't woken up either. Am, looking up at the gate with tears in her eyes. Taiyou, curled up and shaking, still not looking at any of you.  
You struggle to your knees.  
Shion clicks his tongue, mouth caught almost in a snarl.  
“It's no use...”  
Taiyou moves, then, sees Jaime, crawls his way to him, but neither him nor Tokoha can wake him up.  
 _What the hell is going on..._  
“That's right,” Ryuzu's voice says, coming from everywhere at once. “This is the future I'm going to create. The imaginary world brought by the Stride Gate is the next stage with which humanity is meant to proceed.”  
 _Are you kidding me? All this for a dream? Or..._  
“All sadness, pain and hate will be eliminated,” Ryuzu continues. “Everyone will be able to enjoy calm, rational, peaceful lives. Perfect lives.”  
“Then...” Shion says, “Everything in that future would be controlled by Ryuzu's imagination?”  
But you're an error in his system. A bug, making his program unravel at your contact.  
 _He imagined the perfect family as he knew it, and the gate glitched trying to include me._  
“A world controlled by imagination,” Tokoha murmurs, both awestruck and chilled.  
“But then… Why are we the only ones...” Taiyou starts.  
“You are our arbiters.” _That voice..._ “It is time for judgement.” Chronofang. “As your fates are intertwined with ours, you have been chosen to bear the responsibility of breaking the shackles of imagination.”  
'Judgement,' again, as if they had held themselves to that before. What of the judgement that put him in his own shackles? What of the fight at Dragon Empire?  
“There will be five fights to control destiny. When all of them are determined, the truth of the universe will embrace the ideal future.”  
“Our fights… determine the future?” Tokoha breathes out next to you, as if she can barely believe it.  
“He left us awake for _that_?” Shion spits out.  
You need to hurry. The longer you wait, the further the gate's influence spreads. But you're still frozen in place by the remains of your dream, by the creeping realisation that's taking over your mind.  
 _I need to tell Ibuki, he needs to know why—_  
Your mind freezes. There's five of you awake, and Kamui and Jaime on the ground, but…  
 _Oh no..._  
You look around frantically. No Ibuki.  
 _That idiot… did he go ahead without us? Why did he wake up first?_  
Or maybe he didn't fall asleep at all…  
“Chrono?”  
You almost jump, look up at Tokoha who's gotten to her feet.  
“You okay?” she asks quietly.  
“I—” You swallow. “Ibuki's gone.”  
“Huh?” Her eyes widen. “Oh no—augh you're right. Where—”  
“He must have gone ahead,” you grit out, getting to your feet. “We have to—”  
Your phone rings. You wince and pull it out, but to your relief it's not Ryuzu this time.  
“Chrono!” Christopher's voice calls out the second you pick up. “I tried calling several times—are you okay?”  
“I'm fine… look, the gate is spreading, people are falling asleep. We need to go in.”  
“I know. It shot past maximum values on all our sensors; I can see the wave. I don't have long before it hits.” You nod on reflex, then realise how pointless it is. But he keeps going anyway. “Put me on speaker, I'll do my best to give you what information I can.”  
“Okay.” You fiddle with your phone, and wave everyone closer. “Oh, before that—did Ibuki contact you? He was gone when we woke up.”  
“I haven't been able to catch him. His phone doesn't show up on the network at all.”

**Ibuki**

The world inside the gate is light, blinding and dizzying, changing colours that make you queasy. You land awkwardly, barely catching yourself as you appear a few feet above the ground, and slap your arm down to stop yourself from rolling off what seems to be a platform.  
One second. Just one second you allow yourself to breathe, to clench your eyes against the pain. And then you open them again, stare up.  
Floating rocks, floating metal gears. You roll to your side; the platform you're on is made of metal too, and when you sit up, you can see it's gear-shaped too.  
As if the place was attuned to Gear Chronicle itself.  
 _But for whom? Chrono? Or Myoujin?_ And then you wince, forcing yourself to stand. _Don't jump to conclusions. The Stride Gate is maintained by Gear Chronicle's Zodiac Time Beasts after all._  
You look around. Your platform is floating in the middle of nothing, no path leading from it. Isolating you.  
But Myoujin is somewhere in there. You need to reach him—or failing that, find a way to get closer so you can release Chrono Dran.   
You clench your teeth, and run, picking up momentum to launch yourself at one of nearby floating rocks. It's dangerous, and you have no idea how long you would fall if you slipped even once, but…  
 _The only way is up._  
You need to reach Myoujin before it's too late. You owe it. To Chrono. To everyone.

**Chrono**

“I see,” Christopher says as Shion and Tokoha quickly fill him in on their own dreams. “What a plan… All the people who've been hit by that light were probably captured in an imaginary world that reflects the future they want, just like you were. The Stride Gate materialises it using the energy from Cray's future potential. In other words, the life force of everyone on Cray, the planet's very life is being snatched at the roots to create this giant imaginary world that fuels the Gate.”  
You stay silent. You have no doubt that he's right. But there's something that doesn't quite fit in, and the feeling that you've finally touched on the truth is getting stronger and stronger. But—you don't have time to figure it out now. The gate is spreading, and Christopher himself is at risk of falling to the Stride Gate's hypnosis, and Ibuki is in there alone. Probably fighting, _alone_ , like an idiot, because you know him and you know that if he saw all of you fall, he'd jump into the fray with no regards for his own safety, without waiting to see if you'd wake up. He'd try to tackle what made you fall at the core.  
 _Why now, when I needed you to help me figure out the truth..._  
You know the answer to that question, but it's still horribly, horribly timed, almost as if it had been done on purpose, and you doubt Ryuzu is aware, but what if…  
You wince and focus on what Christopher has to say for now.  
“At this rate,” he continues, “the Stride Gate will eventually engulf the entire world.”  
“So the world would be swallowed by Ryuzu's ideal image?”  
“He hated violence, after all,” Christopher says, something grim and chilly dripping from his voice. “I'm sure whoever and whatever disagrees with his thoughts will be erased or replaced in his imaginary world, without having to confront them.” He snorts. “The most quiet takeover in history. And the entire world, no less.”  
Cray, cold and grey and stripped of life. Earth, empty and smiling and devoid of passion. All your struggles, all the memories that make these people so dear to you, gone. A picture in a storybook.   
Why is he so intent on destroying the things that mean most to you?  
“He wants to go and decide that _alone_ even when it's gonna destroy another world!?” Tokoha seethes. “As if I'm gonna let him!”  
“I...” Am shakes, “I didn't do all this… all this time… for some kind of imaginary fake world!”  
“Can you still hear me?” Christopher's voice asks from the phone.  
“Y-yeah,” you force out. “Sorry.”  
“Both Earth and Cray are inside that tower of light… They're connected; he's intertwined their timespace with Stride Force. There's a high chance that your imaginations will be reflected in the material reality inside the gate. Be careful; just _anything_ could happen.”  
“Got it.”  
“It's dangerous, but you might just be able to use it to your ad… ven...”   
He yawns, to your horror. _We're running out of time!_  
“I think… that's as far...”  
His voice trails off, and the noise of something hitting the phone hard makes you all jump. You try calling out once, then turn off the phone, resigned.  
“… did Mr. Ibuki really go on by himself?” Taiyou asks quietly, stepping closer to you.  
“Of course he did,” you sigh. “We'll just have to catch up to him.”  
He nods.

**Ibuki**

Rock after rock, gear after gear, you make your way up. It's precarious; several times you feel like you're going to fall into nothingness, but every time you catch yourself at the last second, as if a greater will refused to let you come to harm.  
 _A greater will or a greater logic_ , you think. _People shouldn't get hurt accidentally, only as punishment._  
Above, for the last couple of minutes, you've started to see the shape of what you think is another large platform, barely visible through the blinding light.   
You force yourself to focus on the climb. One jump at a time; strange luck or no, you can't afford to be careless, when the fate of the world could be at stake. As long as you are humanity's only weapon, you can't afford to fall.  
Another tedious minute of jumping and scraping your fingers on stone and you can definitely see the platform now. Another two and you finally make the last jump to it.  
Under your feet, embedded in the stone, another set of gears, almost taking up the entire ground. Ahead, a stone structure, like a gate broken by time. And standing on it…  
 _Myoujin..._  
You gasp, not in surprise but in fear, apprehension and resignation settling in your lungs at the realisation.  
He's here. You _are_ going to fight him, because there is no other path, no other alternative, no other decision you could take. You're going to fight him, and…  
 _I can't think like that._  
You have to win. Who knows if Chrono and the others will wake up if you don't. And regardless… regardless, you still have a mission to fulfill.  
You breathe out, clench your fists to try and control the shaking in your lungs. And before you can fully compose yourself, he seems to sense your presence, and turns.  
His eyes widen. Did he not expect you? In this place that seems to answer to his will? But a mere second later, he's smiling again. Superior. _Amused_.  
You hate him.  
“Ah… Shinonome, I suppose. You really can't take him anywhere.”  
You swallow the tightness in your throat, grit out his name.  
“Ryuzu Myoujin...”  
You think, as fast as you can. He wasn't expecting you. You shouldn't—the thought makes you cringe, but it doesn't even surprise you coming from him—you shouldn't be here at all, according to his calculations.  
And that can only mean one thing.  
Chrono is coming.   
_I need to win him time._  
Time, at the very least, and a win, if you can. And Chrono Dran.  
You might not believe in your own ability to win, but you can do that much.  
 _A fight reveals everything about a person_.  
Let him see how far your feelings and determination really run.  
You take out your deck and hold it up in challenge.  
He scoffs.  
“Someone like you, who isn't even qualified, would challenge me? Don't make me laugh. You're nothing but a sinner.” You grit your teeth and he smiles. “The truth of the universe would never entrust destiny to someone like you, who only acts to run away from himself.”  
If you weren't scared you would laugh. As if anything he could say could be worse than what you've told yourself for the last few years.  
“Enough of your tedious talk!” you call out. “I'm going to settle this, right here and now!” It's easier than it should be. The words, the bravado slip out of your mouth on their own, like a snowball rolling downhill the moment you took your decision. You can't stop yourself. “Your mad ambitions end here!” You can't stop anything anymore. “Or does that mean you intend to run away? You, the one who claims he tries to save the world?”  
That seems to get his attention. His superior smile falls, an irritated frown taking its place.   
“Shut your mouth, strapling,” he spits out, slow but repulsed.  
You smile, your heart beating far too fast, your arm still extended in silent challenge. He snorts, and jumps from his perch to the platform below.  
“Since you're so insistent, you can amuse me until the arbiters come.”  
 _Good_. Not only is he playing into your hand, but it means he does expect Chrono and the others to come. Whatever he's done to him wasn't meant to incapacitate him.  
Myoujin smiles, and extends his arm. Under it, a vanguard mat appears, out of thin air. He puts his deck down on it. Hiding your hesitation, you put yours down too. It holds.  
“I'm going to administer punishment,” he says. “Children should learn their place… standing here so arrogantly even though you weren't chosen to judge.”  
“You're the one who'll be punished, Myoujin.” _For what you did to the world. For what you did to Cray. For hurting my friends. For stealing Chrono's entire life away with your ambition._  
He smile doesn't falter. You force himself to keep your eyes on his and pull your starter out of your deck, setting it down.  
 _Do your worst._  
Without even a word, he does the same.  
 _No going back now._  
You breathe in. Tighten your grip on Neon Messiah's card.  
“… Stand up!”

**Chrono**

You've just put your phone into your pocket when a noise makes you jump and turn, looking up into the sky.  
 _It's just like..._  
Just like with GIRS, the telltale sound of a unit being ridden rings through the air, and with it a flash of light. And as your eyes clear, you see—  
“Neon Messiah!”  
 _Ibuki!_  
It's his voice, as loud and clear as if he was standing right next to you.  
And he sounds scared.  
 _We have to hurry…_  
“Chrono Tigar.”  
Ryuzu. You clench your teeth. It's the worst possible situation; Ibuki still doesn't _know_ , and this could be crucial—  
Above you, Chrono Tigar grows into another unit. Voltaro Idea-Drone, Myoujin's voice tells you, and you almost growl. New units. Ibuki's fighting blind— _you_ 'd be fighting him blind if you ever got to him, too, and you have little doubt that's what he intended. You're starting to understand his sense of theatrics and destiny.  
“Ride! Asleep Messiah! And I call Destiny Dealer! Attack!”  
It's still there in his voice. A slight trembling that you've never heard there, not just fear but desperation.  
Destiny Dealer collides with Ryuzu's guard in a shower of light, and you try your best to shield yourself and Taiyou from it.  
“That's… Mr. Ibuki's units? And those—”  
“Ryuzu's,” you confirm. “It's his voice all right.”  
“Then this image appeared because the fight inside has already begun,” Shion says.  
Asleep Messiah attacks. You can't waste any more time.  
“We have to hurry!”  
You take off in the direction of the gate at full run, startling a few shouts of surprise from your friends.

It takes you barely a couple of minutes to reach it, and by then they've almost caught up to you. You stop and look up, suddenly awed by the tower of light, its scale so senseless that it defies imagination. Shooting up into the sky, into space itself. And even at its base, it's so wide, almost flat in front of you.  
Taiyou and Am catch up to you, all five of you staring up at the light.  
“The Stride Gate,” Taiyou asks. “It's so…”  
“Luna…” Am says. “Luna is somewhere deep in there.”  
“Along with all of Company's lackeys.” Shion. “Let's settle things with them once and for all.”  
“Damn right,” Tokoha agrees. “They'll finally get their just desserts.”  
You tighten your fists, force yourself to stand straight. Immense tower of light or no, you have to do this. And you can't waste any more time.  
“Let's bring back everyone. No matter what.” They stare at you, but you keep going. “Luna and Ibuki too. We bring them back, and we get back our world where Vanguard is a _game_ we can all play together and not a weapon.”  
Shion and Tokoha smile. It's—fond, somehow, and you want to tell them everything you've started to suspect but you don't have _time_. So this promise will have to do for now.  
“… let's go!”  
Without looking back at the world you're trying to save, you run headfirst into the light.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT. This chapter was done like two weeks ago, but... I really wanted to finish the illustration. I hope it's worth it orz

**Chrono**

You land, after dropping through a step of nothing, on a platform surrounded by nothing but light.  
You look around. In the distance, you can see things hovering in what you hesitate to call the sky, a mess of metal gears and rocks, circling up like a spiral asteroid belt. But none of it is within reach. If you could get to even the lowest ones, you might maybe have been able to jump from one to the other, if you were _really_ rash. But as continuous as the ribbon of debris looks, it stops far away from you.  
_If I could fly..._  
You click your tongue. You don't have time for this. You need to catch up to Ibuki, to find Ryuzu. And you're _alone_ ; despite having run in all together, the gate has separated you from everyone else.  
_Where are they? Is everyone else already fighting? Am I just being kept here so I can't catch up?_  
Freaking Ryuzu. Of course he'd make you wait. Keeping you separated is the best way to defeat you.  
In the distance, a bell rings. Then another. And again. Four in all.  
_Dammit..._  
You try to focus. Now that you're no longer running, the shaking that had been hiding under your skin after your dream is starting to breath the surface again, goosebumps that feel too sensitive against your clothes, at the back of your neck, on your arms. You rub your arms and look around again, trying to find a solution.  
_There's a high chance that your imaginations will be reflected in the material reality inside the gate._  
You stand up straighter, suddenly. Maybe, just maybe…  
You focus.  
_A stair._  
Silence. The light around you still glows and shifts, lazy like the surface of a quiet river. You close your eyes.  
_Come on..._  
Still nothing. In desperation, you try to call one of your units. _Who could fly… Melem. Melem..._  
You focus and call and call and call, but the space around you stays empty. You hiss in frustration and give up.  
_Would I be able to summon her if I… if I..._  
You pause, the adrenaline finally starting to settle now that you're forced to wait. If you what, exactly? Ever since your fight with Ryuzu, you've been drained of your strength, your power, but the more you think about it now, the more it's becoming obvious that it didn't have anything to do with the fight at all. He didn't _do_ anything to you, he didn't have _time_.  
But he took Chrono Dran's card. And since then, you've been… whited out, like Chronojet and Nextage on their own cards.  
It shouldn't make sense, but it does. In a senseless, nauseating way, it does. It's all fitting together too much to be a coincidence.  
The lost card. Your lost memories that stop in places they never were supposed to stop. Your strange Stride Force patterns. The _dream_.  
And the Time Beasts, who treated you like an old friend from the moment you met them.  
You clench your teeth. The more you think about it, the more everything you've grown up believing in feels like a lie. But Ibuki…  
You pause, for a second. Did he know? Could he have betrayed you, lied to you all along? Is that the real reason he was hiding so much from you?  
_… no._ The idea is laughable. If you didn't _know_ him, maybe, you could have believed it. But the moment you try to consider it, you see his face, again, staring at you in naked worry after lifting the helmet in Christopher's lab, after driving to your house in a matter of minutes because something could have happened to you. You hear his voice, just now, wavering with badly hidden fear. You feel the constant determination with which he hunted the source of what was making you feel so weak.  
You see his fight, raw and open and all too intense, throwing everything he has into it like he does in real life.  
No. Ibuki doesn't know, and that puts him in danger.  
_I need to tell him._  
You look up at the path of scattered rock and metal, and wish you had the jets to fly.

**Ibuki**

Myoujin's units are nothing like those you've seen until now. His deck, until now, had shared some of its units with Chrono's, or some of his older ones at least. And from what he told you of his fights you'd formed an image of what it could be like. You _know_ Gear Chronicle; you've fought Rive Shindou, you've fought Chrono, you're used to their strategies and their thinking. But this isn't the Gear Chronicle you know.  
And normally, something like this wouldn't phase you; you've fought decks you didn't know countless times, after all, and come out victorious against most, but in this situation, losing one of your only advantages (or equaliser; you have no doubt _he_ knows exactly what and how you play) is still a hard blow. And the way he smiles isn't helping.  
Serene. _Superior_. As if everything was going according to his plan, even as he complains about you going against them.  
“I can't believe a villain like you who has no say in the world's future would dare come here,” he says.  
You already hate this fight. It feels wrong. Like a play, to be watched with a growing sense of foreboding as it slowly crawls to its unavoidable end. Inexorable.  
A world away from Chrono's fights. So intense and chaotic, so… alive.  
He draws, and the movement calls you back to reality.  
“Ah, well. It's fine. I'm sure Vanguard itself will judge you through this fight.”  
He rides, then calls two grade 2s and a critical trigger to boost.  
_Such a fortunate lineup on his first attacking turn..._ He intends to rush you to reduce your options. And to call his trigger like that, he probably has some kind of plan. You stop the twitch that almost pulled at your mouth. _Stop being so antsy. You're still ahead._ And by two damage, thanks to that first critical. You'll just have to meet him blow for blow, and not let him get ahead.  
“Diaperno attacks. With his skill, I bind the top card of my deck, and it gains 2000 power.”  
It's alone. You can still guard it easily.  
“Guard!”  
“Kaigomai attacks.”  
He drive checks a heal trigger. Down to one damage, and your head start is already nullified.  
You won't be able to guard the next one.  
“I give the power to Diaperno, and attack. And with Diaperno's skill… I bind.”  
If you'd tried to guard, maybe you wouldn't have heard the distant noise of something set into motion, of machinery slowly building up momentum and clicking into place. But it presses down on you like hands on your shoulders, like breath on the back of your neck. You shudder, look up, trying to _see_.  
Nothing. The gate, as it has been since you fell into it, is nothing but blinding light.  
“Ah, did you hear that?” You look back down at Myoujin, goosebumps rising on the back of your neck. “That is the sound of destiny being engraved.” He's calm, too calm, as if this fight barely mattered to him, as if he had not a single doubt on what each of his attacks would do, and you feel _sick_. “With its skill,” he continues as if he hadn't said anything before, “it gets 2000 power.”  
You grit your teeth, and take your second damage.  
“Since its attack hit, Diaperno's skill activates. I search for two cards from my deck, put one in the drop zone… and bind the other one.”  
Above you, metal grinds into place again.  
“When we control all of the Zodiac Time Beasts and obtain their power,” he says with a smile, “the perfect future will descend upon this fight too.”  
You break eye contact for a fraction of second, try to catch sight of his bind zone. _The Zodiac Time Beasts..._ hadn't that first card been one of them?  
Myoujin doesn't move, doesn't flinch, doesn't stop smiling.  
“Beware.”  
_What on earth is going on in this fight…_ You grit your teeth, and stand your cards. Draw. _No, I can't let myself get distracted. It doesn't matter what he's trying to make happen. I have a mission to accomplish, I can't falter until I have._  
You ride Awaking Messiah, call Lady Battler of the Gravity Well in front of Destiny Dealer, and attack. Awaking first.  
“No guard.”  
“Drive check!”  
No trigger this time, of _course_. You keep going, attack with Gravity Well; to your relief, he doesn't guard.  
_Back to three._  
He draws, and as his eyes land on the card, his expression finally shifts, from disdain and superiority to _tenderness_. You squint, but before you have time to ponder on its meaning, he's brought it to face level, talking quietly as if to the card itself.  
“Let us see the world be changed… with our own hands,” he says, just loud enough for you to hear. And then he brandishes it, his voice rising.  
“Ride! Chronofang Tiger!”  
_Here he comes..._  
He takes a card from his hand, and binds it.  
_Another Time Beast_.  
“Chronofang Tiger's skill. Destiny Dealer goes back to the bottom of your deck.”  
You grit your teeth and take Destiny Dealer off your field.  
_I can't guard all of these… I'll just have to take the vanguard and hope for the best._  
“Diaperno attacks!”  
“Intercept!”  
“Chronofang Tiger attacks!”  
You brace.  
“No guard.”  
No trigger. You allow yourself a fraction of second to close your eyes in relief before taking your damage.  
“Diaperno attacks.”  
“Guard!”  
“… turn end,” he says, and what little sense of relief you had flows out of you. He still looks far too relaxed, sure of himself. If anything, it's been worse ever since he drew Chronofang Tiger.  
And maybe he's right. There's something off about this fight.  
_Focus._  
“Ride! Alter Ego Messiah!”  
_I can still take back control of this fight. I_ have _to_.  
“Stride Generation!” _I won't leave you any chance to free yourself!_ “Genesis Dragon, Flagellate Messiah!”  
You lock Neon Messiah, lock down one of his intercepts. Call Arrester Messiah.  
He guards Arrester's attack. You lock him, and lock Myoujin's starter too. You can't let him replenish his field.  
“Flagellate attacks! Neon and Arrester unlock!” _I have to be able to stride next turn..._ “Neon Messiah's skill!”  
You search for another Alter Ego, then look up. Myoujin is still smiling.  
“Diaperno and Chrono Tigar are omega locked!”  
And still he smiles.  
“No guard.”  
Your jaw hurts.  
“Triple Drive!”  
Heal Trigger. If you'd just had a critical… No matter. You heal, give the power to Arrester, and wait for him to take his damage.  
“Stand Trigger.”  
And your chance to hit his Vanguard again vanishes.  
“Arrester attacks again! Diaperno Idea-drone!”  
“No guard.”  
He puts Diaperno in the drop zone, and _he's still smiling_.  
There's something wrong in this fight, incredibly wrong. It's like every turn of fate plays in his favour. Even your own triggers.  
And while trying to watch out for the Time Beasts, you realised something. You've already seen four different Grade 2 cards.  
_And yet..._  
And yet the ones he needed have come to him, for every one of his plays.  
_Is this the Stride Gate at work? If he's already started channelling Cray's potential, then..._  
Then what chance do any of you have?  
No, you can't let yourself think like this. You have to do this. For Chrono's sake. You'll just have to break through somehow.  
You put Flagellate back into the G zone.  
“'By locking and unlocking, I can obtain a new power',” Myoujin recites. “It's Messiah's speciality, isn't it? But no matter how many people you try to save or set free, it's ultimately pointless.”  
“Like Chrono? Do you think I'll leave him in your grasp?”  
“Chrono?” He scoffs. “I haven't caused him any harm. I merely defended myself. And today he came to face me of his own accord. But don't worry, I have no desire to hurt him. Once I'm done with you, I will overcome his Vanguard, and give him the future his heart really desires.”  
You frown. Caused him no harm? What about his life force, slowly draining away? His image, bound? Does that not count as harm? Did he not weaken him to tip the odds in his favour, the way he seems to have influenced this fight?  
Or is he not aware at all?  
_What is going on..._  
“Chrono's view of the world is merely naive,” he continues. “There is no need to punish him. You, however, will never be able to free yourself from the sin that binds you, no matter how arrogantly you try to oppose me. But have no fear. Even you will be saved by my perfect future. And this,” he says, dropping a card to stride, “is the purification ceremony for that purpose.” He puts down his card. “Transcend! Deus Ex Machina, Ergos.”  
He activates his Anarchia's skill, returns it to the deck. Binds yet another card, another Time Beast.  
“I call Chronospin Serpent. Ergos attacks!”  
“… no guard.”  
He drive checks a critical. But you're still only on four damage; you can do this.  
“Ergos's skill. I bind the top card from my deck...” and there goes another Time Beast, as if by magic, “return Steam Breath Dragon from the bind zone to my hand, then bind again.” Another, from his hand this time.  
Chronoclaw Monkey, grade 2.  
Above you, the sky rings twice.  
_How many has it been..._  
“We're getting closer,” he says, confirming your suspicions. “Moment by moment, we're drawing closer to your punishment.” He smiles. “Chronospin attacks.”  
“Guard!”  
You throw down Dark Metal Chameleon.  
“Punishment?” You almost laugh. What punishment can he even give you? What could he possibly do that would be worse than what you've already gone through? He can't hurt you, not really, not anymore.  
He could hurt those you love. But that he has already done, and there is no way to protect them other than to keep fighting.  
“Do your worst,” you hiss.  
He smiles, eyebrows raising slightly, calmly depositing Ergos back into his G zone.  
“Brave words.”  
You do laugh, this time, a quick, aborted chuckle.  
“You don't understand. Three years ago… I committed a sin.”  
He snorts.  
“Oh, I know all too well. Exactly how long do you think I have been aware of your activities, Kouji Ibuki?”  
You stay silent. He smirks, and it almost looks like hate.  
“You almost destroyed everything I'd been working towards on that day. Over ten long years of research and planning. Five of destroying my body little by little. And then you came along with your little teenage tantrum.”  
You feel sick. Of course he knew. The Messiah Scramble had been privately sponsored, but Myoujin had eyes everywhere, even then… how long had he known… you could have accidentally pointed him to Rive Shindou. You could…  
… you probably put Chrono in his grasp, and by paying attention to him, would have put him in danger even if you'd chosen to take on his fight instead.  
“I thought you'd found a hole to crawl hide your shame in,” he continues. “Imagine my surprise when you appear two years later and start rising through the ranks of the association. _My_ association.”  
“… I was on a mission,” you murmur. “In my hate, I didn't just almost destroy Vanguard… my mistakes could have destroyed the world. So I ran. I couldn't bear the weight of my sin… so I kept walking. Wandered the world, looking for an answer.” You swallow. This is probably nothing he doesn't know, by now. “That's where I met Rive Shindou.”  
Still smiling.  
“He told me that Vanguard… that the world was in danger.”  
An echo of your own sin, and yet you know the man in front of you wouldn't consider it so. Destroying the world's freedom doesn't count as putting it in danger to him.  
“… I thought this was fate,” you breathe out. “Vanguard itself, giving me a mission, to make up for the destruction I almost caused, to redeem myself. It said… 'atone for your sins.' So I obeyed. I begged Rive Shindou to let me help him.” And he had smiled. Much like the man standing in front of you right now. “… he gave me the Gear Chronicle deck… I thought it would be my destiny to fight.”  
You thought you'd be the one to risk your life on the front line, to draw him into the open. But instead...  
“Rather than confront you directly, I was instructed to watch over the boy who was our ace in the hole, the key to everything… train him, guide him. Protect him.” Despite yourself, you feel yourself smiling, derisive but still warm at the memory. You'd been so frustrated then, but looking back, the memory of those first few times you saw him are something you treasure. “But at first...”  
At first, you hadn't accepted it. _If he proves useless, I can just take his place_ , you'd thought back then, and deep inside you'd been convinced that you would, that there was no way this child could be strong enough to fight the battle that was ahead. You were just waiting for him to confirm your distrust and fail.  
_I started following you to prove it, at first_ , you mentally apologise, his own words still ringing in your mind and making you smile. _And even from behind, I could tell that you'd built a wall around your heart, that you'd isolated yourself even while the loneliness ate at you… You reminded me so much of my younger self, my own mistakes..._ You can't help but chuckle. _Irrationally, I was furious at you. I hated seeing myself in that mirror. And at the same time, it felt like you were belittling everything I'd gone through. But then..._ You remember every fight, after that first one, his fire, his determination, his _compassion_. All the things you'd grasped yourself, and all the things you never could. _But then, you gradually rose above my expectations. With every fight, you became stronger; with every fight, you expanded your world, wider than mine had ever been. You grew, until I was the one to be pulled into your orbit._  
On reflex, your fingers reach for the plate on your chest, and you don't stop them, drawing warmth and strength from it instead.  
_Watching over your development has truly been… irritating… frustrating… and incredibly_ fun.  
Fun, excitement, the likes of which you hadn't felt for years, not since Kai left and Miwa hovered awkwardly as others started to reject you. The honest, visceral drive to _laugh_.  
_It made me happy._  
You let your fingers run along the ragged cut on the plate, its edges almost smoothed by now, and it's almost like he's there with you, almost like he's watching you. Bright and unwavering, a light stronger than the gate itself.  
You smile.  
_I believe in you now. I know that you can keep growing, keep moving forward, with your own power. Your own strength._  
Your fingers curl. You open your eyes, finally. You don't know when you closed them, and it doesn't matter.  
In front of you, Myoujin frowns in confusion. But you are no longer lost.  
You know what you have to do.  
“I'll carve out a path for your sake! Stride Generation!”  
You stride Flagellate again, and lock Arrester to shut down his remaining column. On the other side, you call the Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf and Sacrifice Messiah that you'd so carefully saved on the previous turn.  
“Attack!”  
He takes Black Dwarf's attack.  
“Critical trigger.”  
He calmly moves it to his damage zone. You force yourself to continue without flinching, to keep riding the momentum.  
_You can't stop to lament on bad luck. It won't change anything. Overcome the circumstances._  
“Black Dwarf's skill!” You lock her, and Sacrifice behind her, boosting Flagellate as much as you can.  
And attack.  
“Black Dwarf, Arrester and Sacrifice unlock! Flagellate gains a critical, and your units are omega locked!”  
“Guard.”  
You haven't shaken him in the least. From his hand, he picks a single card.  
“Become my shield… Steam Scalar, Emellanna! Quintet Wall!”  
You watch the guards pile up. With the trigger he damaged earlier, you'd need three triggers to break through.  
_But with two, I might be able to break through his guard with my remaining attacks..._  
“Triple drive!”  
The first check is a grade two.  
_There's still a chance!_  
You draw the second card. Heal trigger.  
That first attack put him on five damage. You can't even _heal_.  
“Power to Arrester!” _If you can just draw one of your criticals..._ “Third check!”  
Grade three.  
He chuckles.  
“Emellanna's skill. I bind one card from my drop, and return two more to the deck, and shuffle.”  
Chronospin is bound, and by now the noise above you is loud, clear.  
_He only has two cards left..._  
“Black Dwarf attacks!”  
He guards. You lock her and Sacrifice again, give every last bit of power to Arrester.  
His last card is a critical trigger. Your attack falls short, leaving him still one point of damage away from defeat.  
You were _so close_ …  
_Calm down. His entire field is locked. He can only have one attack._  
But in all your turns so far, you haven't drawn a single perfect guard.  
“The more you struggle,” he says, “the more the gears of destiny tighten around your neck.” He drops a card to stride. “Ironic, don't you think?” He closes his eyes just for a second, smile still on his face, and puts down a new Stride Unit. “Transcend! O renegade disciple who leads to the future, put everything on the line! Chronotiger Rebellion!”  
_Chronofang's evolution..._  
“Chronotiger Rebellion's skill! For every two cards in the bind zone, he gains 5000 power.” You gasp, try to remember how many he has bound already, but he saves you the trouble. “Right now, there are seven bound cards; he gains 15000 power.”  
You count, frantically. 41000.  
“I call Anarchia Idea-drone. With his skill, I return him to the deck, put one card each from the drop zone and from the soul into my deck, shuffle.” You cringe. “I look at the first three cards of my deck, put one into my hand, one into my soul, and bind… Chronoethos Jackal!”  
46000\. And yet another Time Beast.  
“I call Chronocharge Unicorn! His skill gives Rebellion 3000 power!”  
49000\. Even if his rear-guard can't attack…  
“Rebellion attacks! Generation Break! I bind one rear-guard, and one card from my hand!”  
54000—  
“—and I gain one drive and one critical!”  
“What!?”  
Quadruple drive could mean as high as 74000. You can't let this attack through, no matter what.  
“Guard!” You throw down your critical trigger, then drop your first heal to call Demon Maxwell to guard. “Lock!”  
_It has to be a back row… I can't even use Sacrifice Messiah's skill..._  
You lock Sacrifice, and generation guard a second time.  
“Destiny Guardian!”  
With no choice, you unlock not only Sacrifice, but Chrono Tigar as well.  
_It's not enough… I can still..._  
“Alter Ego Messiah's Generation Break!”  
You empty your soul, one card for each unlocked unit, and draw the same amount of cards.  
“Guard!”  
Enough for three triggers. So many of them have already gone through his hands; he can't get a fourth one, can he?  
“Quadruple drive!”  
You bite your lip.  
“First check!”  
His Quintet wall, again. You breathe a sigh of relief, and find it shaking, and your shoulders with it.  
But his smile doesn't falter.  
“The time hasn't come yet.” He puts Emellanna into his hand, and reaches for his deck again. “Second check! Heal Trigger! I heal one point of damage! Third Check! Critical Trigger! Fourth check!”  
Chronocharge Unicorn.  
You put your guards into the G zone and drop, and you can't stop shuddering, can't stop your breath from shaking.  
“You pulled through,” he taunts, “but there are only two cards left. Soon… the perfect future will come.”  
You're running out of time. And of resources, you remind yourself as you glance at the table in front of you. Only one counterblast; you won't be able to use both your stride skill and Black Dwarf's, not at first, anyway.  
_If I had even one more grade 1..._  
Too late to dwell on your mistakes now. You'll just have to give everything you have left this turn.  
“Generation Zone… release!”  
_My only chance now is..._  
“Ruler of Chaos! Connect to the future with your pure white light!” _Please lend me your power… I beg you..._ “Genesis Dragon! Excelics Messiah!”  
You stride, and use Alter Ego's skill to lock Arrester and Tigar again, then Sacrifice to free your precious counterblast. The power, you give to Black Dwarf.  
_Even if I can't give her the boost from Excelics… this way… I'll give my rear-guards everything I can._  
“Excelics Messiah attacks! Unlock!”  
You stand your rear-guards, give them Excelics's boost, empties Myoujin's field entirely.  
“Critical plus one!”  
“Quintet wall.”  
_Again!?_  
He draws his guards. Grade 1. Draw. Heal. Critical. And Chronofang tiger.  
_Two triggers to pass..._  
“And guard,” he adds, putting down a last card and sounding almost _bored_.  
You feel sick.  
“Triple drive!”  
Perfect guard.  
_Now of all times..._  
You drive check again.  
“Critical trigger! All effects to Black Dwarf!” And again. “Critical trigger! All effects to Arrester!”  
“Emellanna's skill. I return two cards to my deck… and bind Chronofang.”  
Eleven Time Beasts. You have to get through.  
“Black Dwarf attacks!”  
“Generation guard.”  
He sends Sacrifice back to the deck, robbing you not just of your attack, but of your last chance to boost Arrester and countercharge. Your neck is so hot that you're starting to feel dizzy from it, your lungs so tight that you can feel your heart beat against your ribcage through them.  
“Black Dwarf's skill!” you cry out, throwing the last of your resources into the attack. “I lock her and give Arrester 5000 power! Attack!”  
But it's pointless, and you know it even as you declare the attack. You know what his last card is.  
“Guard! Chronovolley Rabbit!”  
And just like that, your turn is over.  
_But I have a perfect guard, this time. And his hand is empty. Even if he strides Rebellion again..._  
“Messiah.” You look back up at him, gasping. And again, again, he's smiling. “The 'saviour' who couldn't even save the world. But I will. No matter the sacrifices. Even if I have to lose everything. I will save this world!”  
He reaches for his deck, draws, and his eyes light up with a glow, a smile that's almost _vicious_.  
“ _This_ is destiny.”  
Chrono Dran.  
_No!_  
“My avatar and kindred soul… give me the absolute power to grasp the future, whatever cost must be paid! Chronofang Tiger's skill! I bind!”  
Above you, something clicks into place again, the metallic sound ringing through your entire body. Machinery starts humming, and the entire gate resounds with it.  
In the distance you think you hear a scream.  
“Now… bring the perfect future that will save the world! Transcend! Deus Ex Machina! Demiurge!”  
And even from inside the gate, you can feel the unit descending, linked to both of you by the power of imagination, and you can't find it in you to breathe.  
_What is this..._  
“The perfect future will deliver your judgement!” He pauses, smiles, recites almost _leisurely_. “Demiurge's skill. I put twelve Zodiac Time Beast cards with different names from the bind zone into the drop. And in exchange… I put twelve cards from my drop zone to the top of my deck. Picture it! The perfect future!”  
Your heart sinks. _Even if I block it, he's bound to heal two points of damage at least..._  
But he isn't finished.  
“And in addition… you cannot guard Demiurge's attack with cards that are grade 1 or higher from your hand.”  
You gasp. With three triggers, that would make…  
_No… no, no, no..._  
“Demiurge attacks!”  
You throw down your remaining triggers, but already your voice is breaking on sobs.  
“Guard! Intercept!”  
You gasp, try to force the trembling in your throat down.  
“You should steel yourself and accept the punishment Vanguard is about to deliver to you. Triple drive!”  
Draw trigger.  
Why isn't it a critical? Is he toying with you, still? You know he had _enough—_  
“But you have nothing to fear…”  
Critical trigger.  
You shake.  
“That is, indeed, when you will be saved.”  
Critical trigger.  
Myoujin's face contorts in a smile, and he is no more human than the creature whose attack he is harnessing.  
Demiurge's attack hits, and the shock slams through your body, pierces it like a sword, like a lightningbolt.  
_No… I have to… I have to…_  
“Damage… check...”  
Alter Ego Messiah. You choke down a sob and draw a second card.  
“Heal trigger!”  
You heal one of your flipped cards, put your hand back on your deck.  
There's one heal left in your deck. If you can just draw it…  
_Please… Don't let me fail him again..._  
You sob and draw your last card.  
Destiny Dealer.

Silence falls. In the sky, as Demiurge vanishes, the mad hum of machinery quietly whirrs down to a murmur, then finally nothing. And as the pressure of it falls, so does your last card, onto your damage zone.  
You lost.  
_I'm sorry_.  
Myoujin chuckles, watching you shake. But you're the one who laughs, almost, the fear and tension of the fight flowing out of you, leaving you empty, the only thing left your purpose, and the burning in your chest.  
You lost. It doesn't matter anymore.  
“But… right now...” there's still something you can do. Still a single thing you have to do. “I have to… give you the key to the future!”  
You reach in your pocket, close your hand around the small device you put all your hopes in.  
_Please help him..._  
“Even if all I have left is one moment...” you murmur.  
Myoujin shifts. You can't waste time anymore.  
You pull out the device. Press the button.  
“Wake up, Chrono Dran!”

**Chrono**

The brass under your feet turns to stars.  
You gasp, almost choke as power rushes into you like air into asphyxiated lungs, as the world once more buzzes with _life_ , with reality, your senses humming, singing, the light of the gate resonating with the glimmer of the stars.  
And you're caught in glass again, and standing on metal, also, the two vibrating in unison in your mind and against your skin. And you feel.  
Everything.  
It's no longer the pain of another Time Beast being summoned, of your body being bound. You're awake, fully, fiercely, all the energy that you'd grown accustomed to missing flowing around and in you, and for the first time in weeks, you feel like you could fight as your true self, not a shadow.  
Light blooms under your feet, and winks out.  
Light blazes above you, and you look up to it, caught in time, as a card slowly makes its way down to you.  
You catch it.  
And the world is real again, fully tangible, and the mad streams of rushing energy settle within your skin, where you've known them as far as you can remember, dormant but warm.  
Your card is in your hands, and you're, again, finally.  
Yourself.

**Ibuki**

Light flares above you, around you, and you smile. It's too late, for the both of you: too late for him to stop you, too late for you to stop the hit you know is coming, and you smile, anyway, because you won, because nothing he can do to you can really matter now, because your hope, your light, your belief.  
Lives on.  
Chronofang Tiger's fist connects with your stomach and you black out, for a fraction of second, your sight blinking out as your chest breaks and your body folds, flies. You wheeze, twisting in mid-air with the force of the blow, and your lungs won't spread, your air won't come back, and you fall, breathless, through the light of the gate like so much water.  
_Chrono!_  
You cling, with all your remaining strength, to the thought of his light, of his fire; you've done all you could, everything you could give him, and now…  
Now, if anyone can win this, it's him.  
_Chrono..._  
Your sight blurs, and in the dancing light you see—him, still numb and defensive and a little feral, at first, him, riding Chronojet in that first fight against you, still high on the freedom and power that Vanguard gave him. Chrono, angrily confronting a cheater on a security camera, Chrono, fighting you, marking you, Chrono, laughing and showing off his newly upgraded FICA, Chrono, cheering up and guiding a boy who reminded you so much of yourself, Chrono, fighting that same boy, confronting Kanzaki, walking up to you, _I can't move forward with you until I settle this_.  
Chrono, shouting at you to stop manipulating him.  
Chrono, smiling, _I already knew that_.  
Chrono, _you grew up. … that made sense in my head._  
Chrono.  
Your throat tightens, swallows despite the pain, and _you don't want to say goodbye_. You didn't _get_ to say goodbye. You couldn't let him know—you couldn't tell him—  
That he is the world.  
_I wanted..._  
You fall.  
_I wanted… to see you again… in the future..._  
You're crying. But it's all right. Because…  
If you could finally help him, if you can be the path for him to walk on, then everything's worth it. If you could do this much, then you're happy.  
It's all right.  
_Grasp the future, Chrono… I'm entrusting it to you._  
You fall.  
_Thank you._

 

[](http://imgur.com/OoCJ4Oo)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's come this far. Your support means everything <3  
> And I promise the next chapters will come faster orz


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided letting people wait too much after the last chapter would be mean. Although this one might not make it any better~  
> Also, good news (?), after this there are only two chapters left... until the end of part one :3c

**Chrono**

You run.  
For the first time since you first met Ryuzu and saw him burn, you feel calm, the raging uncertainty and nervousness finally gone quiet. Like a storm that finally died, the voices that had been trying to guide you to the truth silenced, faded into the air as certainty settles deep inside your bones.  
You know who you are. _What_ you are. You know what you have to do.  
There's no hesitation anymore. Only one path, rising in front of you as you run, only one thing to do, to save the world, save _both_ your worlds, protect the lives of those who brought you to life and the freedom of those who nurtured you, cherished you. To free someone who's probably been even more scared for the last ten years, who's now trapped in a glass prison in the sky in your place.  
You are a child of two worlds, and you will fight for them with everything you have, everything you _are_ , because both of them give you strength.  
There is only one way, and it's forward.  
A bell rings in the distance. You're starting to suspect that they mark the beginning and end of a fight, that one of your friends has just finished theirs. Did they win? Nothing seems to have _changed_ , but maybe nothing will until all five have been determined.  
_I need to hurry._  
You have to reach Ryuzu and stop him. And the faster the better—getting your card back may have been a blessing, but the path suddenly forming itself left a layer of cooling dread in your stomach.  
_Don't think about that_.  
You run.  
_Did Ryuzu know?_ your mind whispers, paranoid, as you hurry on. But no, it wouldn't make any _sense_. If he had known who you really were, he never would have let you go. Chrono Shindou was someone he could see as a rival, an equal, even as he overlooked him because of his youth. Chrono Dran… Chrono Dran is someone he had no qualms against sacrificing.  
He really would have sucked you dry of your power if he got the chance.  
_What about Chronofang, then..._  
But Chronofang had been locked in Gear Chronicle's deepest, timeless prison when you were pulled to Earth. He wouldn't have known. And _now_ he might know, now that you've been freed, but it's too late for it to change anything.  
You run. Above your head, you can see a platform taking shape out of the mist. And in front of you, as you look back down to the path—  
Something in your chest locks, stops.  
_Is that..._  
“Ibuki!?”  
You breathe in, hard, fear clawing at your stomach as the nagging feeling of apprehension that had clung to you for the entire climb leans on your shoulders, whispers that no matter how much you speed up now, it's already too late. But you've already sped up, without even thinking about it, running at full speed to reach him.  
“Ibuki!”  
He's unconscious and straight away you throw yourself down to check on him, one arm sliding behind his shoulders before you can stop yourself.  
Nothing. No reaction at all. You stare at him for a hint of recognition, movement, _anything_ , but all you can see is the line of his mouth, caught almost in a _smile_ (you feel sick), the scratches on his face, still caked with dirt and a hint of blood, and the dead, heavy weight of his eyelids covering his eyes and they _still won't move_.  
_He should have been fighting!_ you tell yourself, panicked, but deep down you already knew. The only reason Ryuzu let you pass is because he was already defeated.  
“Why—” you hiss in, pulling him up. “Ibuki—hey, c'mon...”  
You try to stay calm, to _think_ , but you can't. You can't be calm and rational and pragmatic when he's lying in your arms unconscious. You need to talk to him—he needs to be _okay_ —he needs to wake up and talk to you, he—  
He's bleeding. You'd been so focused on his face, so desperate for a sign of life that you didn't _see_ it at first, but it's—you gasp, horror choking you—it's _spreading_ , dark red soaking the purple of his shirt near his stomach.  
_No… no no no_ fuck _no, this can't be happening..._  
You pull him closer. At the back of your mind, a faint memory warns you that maybe he shouldn't be moved but it's already too late and you need—you need to feel him, you need to hold him, you need to know that—if he's alive.  
“C'mon… Ibuki, c'mon, wake up… Wake up… talk to me...”  
_I still have so much to tell you… come on… please..._  
Your fingers tighten on him, and just as a sob threatens to burst out, you feel him shift in your hold.  
You swallow it back.  
His expression shifts, from blank abandon to pain as his body tenses in your arms, his fists and teeth clenching.  
_Oh thank goodness he's alive..._  
You tighten your hold, bend closer to him.  
“Ibuki… Ibuki, can you hear me… answer me...”  
He gasps.  
“C… Chrono…”  
It's just a breath, but even that makes you want to cry with relief.  
“Yeah! It's me! I'm here! I'm here…” He tries to move, starts curling up on himself, forcing his shoulders up as if trying to get closer; it makes him gasp, raspy and choked and you tighten your arm to try and support him, panic rising. “What happened to you—what did he _do!?_ ”  
His hand shoots up with a choked hiss to grab on to your jacket. You gasp and freeze, eyes stuck to his hand until you sense movement and finally see his eyes open.  
“Dran… Chrono Dran, is he with you?”  
Your world goes quiet. It's heavy and empty and all the fear and hope and panic that had been taking over your mind like so much static are finally silent, leaving only cold certainty in their wake.  
The light. The sudden light that felt like _home_ and like yourself and woke you up, woke your real body up and gave you your power and _self_ back… it hadn't been a side effect of the fight at all.  
It was him. Somehow, his answer to all this was to find a way to bring you back to normal, at all costs, and you don't know _how_ he did it but he pulled it off.  
He ran into the gate for you. He sacrificed himself for _you_. And he didn't even know the truth.  
He trusted you, first and foremost, all along.  
“… he's here,” you tell him, quietly. “I got the card back. Chronojet and Nextage, too,” you add, fishing for your deck to show him.  
“And your—hn—your power? How do you… fee…”  
“I'm fine,” you answer, as quick as you can so he won't hurt himself even more struggling to speak. “It's back. I'm back.”  
A smile slides on his lips, and it's not just relief, but almost… joy, _pride_. Your breath shakes.  
“… you did all this for me, didn't you?” You try to breathe, find yourself shaking instead. “You went through all that trouble… ran off to fight him…”  
He looks up at you and _grins_ , warm and so _stupidly_ self-satisfied and you choke on anger and fear because—  
“… why?” You grip him harder, forcing down the urge to yell at him. “Why would you go that far—why on earth would you do something so _stupid_ —”  
His hand grips yours, squeezes.  
“Go.”

**Ibuki**

The world is quiet.  
It's a feeling you've never had before, a blankness that covers all, and somewhere you feel sad but everything is such a _relief_. Your head is always so noisy, so full of too bright lights and too loud sounds and things happening too fast, and even in the dark it's your thoughts that whisper, screech, pull at your stomach until it knots itself and you get back up to do something, something, _anything_. But now it's silent, finally, and the only anchor you still feel to that mess of senses and feelings is a line of yearning, holding on to your heart like a hook pierced through, hitching it up with a feeling that won't quite go away.  
And yet you sink, into sleep deeper than you've had for years, into the blanketing cover of nothingness.  
Rest. At last.  
Something pulls onto you.  
You almost slip anyway. You're almost out of touch already, and it's so easy to let go, but your senses nag at you again and part of you jerks awake in recognition, in hope.  
“Ibuki! C'mon, wake up...”  
_Chrono!_  
It shoots through you with joy, as pure and simple as the childlike happiness of a surprise present, of someone keeping a promise, of looking up and seeing the sun rise.  
He's here. You were so sad and he's _here_. You try to talk, can't, grit your teeth and put your everything into getting control of your body, into _feeling_ again.  
Pain slams back into your body and you gasp, tensing against the burning waves going through you.  
“Ibuki!”  
You can do this.  
“Ibuki can you hear me? Answer me!”  
“C… Chrono...”  
You grit your teeth further and force the pain down, pushing the dizzying waves out of your mind to focus on the worst. Pain in your head, mostly the back, burning. Pain in your side, through your stomach, deep and heavy and too violent to be dull, flaring up at every movement, something biting into you. Warmth—  
Warmth around your shoulders, against your side. His voice, calling for you again, _I'm here, I'm here_ , wrapping around you from every side, your body encased in it.  
You open your eyes. He's holding you, his face close, his eyes wide with panic.  
He's here.  
Part of you just wants to smile, to bask in that warmth and his presence and listen to his voice. But—but you remember: how much you didn't deserve it, how much you still want to pay him back, how much—  
Dran. The memory shakes you awake; you were trying to pull Chrono Dran from Myoujin's grasp.  
You breathe in, cough at the sudden influx of air, reach for him, try to push the words out.  
“Dran… Chrono Dran, is he with you?”  
He blinks. His face falls, slightly, spreads in a slow-motion painting of _shock_ , and your heart sinks (you failed, you _failed_ , you failed him) until he talks to you again, quiet.  
“… he's here.I got the card back. Chronojet and Nextage, too.”  
He pulls out his deck. On the bottom, the familiar card, bursting with energy and movement, is there in all its colour, and you feel hope again.  
You weren't completely useless.  
“And—” You gasp, stumble through your words, clench your teeth against the wave of dizziness, “your power? How do—”  
He cuts you off, gentle.  
“I'm fine. It's back.” And more quietly, as you start smiling, happiness buzzing in your body as strongly as the pain: “I'm back.”  
You did it.  
You could almost laugh. Finally—finally you've been able to pay back _something_ , to give, even if it was just a fraction of what you owe him, to give something to him. Finally you've managed to do something that really had worth.  
And it doesn't even matter if this makes up for your sins, for your past. It doesn't matter anymore.  
You were able to give to _him_ and that's the only thing you care about.  
“… you did all this for me, didn't you? You went through all that trouble… ran off to fight him…”  
You blink sight back into your eyes and look up at him, at his face. His eyes are wide, and you wish you could talk more easily than this, to tell him how glad you are that it _worked_. But you smile, instead, tightening your hand on his clothes.  
You did it. You didn't fail. It's probably asking for too much, but deep down you hope he's at least a little proud of you.  
You promised him you'd use his power to win, after all. And you finally got it back for him.  
He shakes.  
“… why? Why would you go that far—”  
_Because I trust you. Don't you get it, Chrono? You're our greatest hope for the world. You're_ my _greatest hope. You can bring light to our future, like you brought it into my life._  
_If it's you, I'm not afraid._  
“Why on earth would you do something so _stupid_ —”  
You pull all the last remaining strength in your body into your arm and let go of his clothes, grasping for his hand. Your hand finds it; you cling, holding on to him as much as you try to give him what strength you have left.  
He gasps. You make sure to catch his eyes before forcing the words out. You want him to hear; you want him to understand.  
“Go… I'm entrusting… the future… to you.”  
His eyes widen. His hand under yours shifts, tightens on his deck, and on your shoulder you feel his other hand tighten, too, and it'd almost feel like he's reluctant to let you go. You keep your eyes on his. You're sure.  
After a few seconds, he looks down, hesitant.  
“… Ibuki, I… I need to tell you—”  
“Go.” You swallow, try to keep your throat working. “You can tell me everything—when we've won.” You smile, as reassuring as you can be, and tighten your grip on his hand, its warmth seeping into you. “After all… I still need… to do it too.”  
You'd tell him right now, if you had time. You'd tell him everything he's ever wanted to know. But he has more important things to do.  
He looks down, still, his grip so strong it's almost painful. You relish the sensation, even as your vision swims.  
“… go, Chrono. The future—is in your hands. I'm leaving… I'm leaving everything… to you.”  
He looks back at you, finally. And the light that cut through every obstacle so far is back in his eyes, the sharpness that drove him through pain and fear and hardship and had him come out victorious.  
He tightens his hold one last time, pulling you closer to his chest, then pulls back and lays you down on the ground, carefully.  
Your hand slips from his.  
“… I'll come back for you. Wait for me, okay?” His eyes stay on yours, firm, determined. “I'll take care of this and come right back… So wait for me.”  
You smile. _It's the first time..._ you want to tell him, but you can't talk anymore now that you've let go, your voice out of your reach, your sight fast blurring. But you smile.  
His face turns to colour, turns to black, and  
And you believe him.  
It's okay

**Chrono**

Ibuki lies unconscious on the ground in front of you, face still relaxed into a smile, and you can't remember ever being so _angry_.  
It's worse than when you found out about the Dragon Empire Branch, worse than when you remembered the gate; it's worse than all that because you know you were meant to find him.  
Nothing seems to happen by chance in this place. It's controlled, like this so-called _perfect world_ , by Ryuzu's imagination and sense of _justice_ , and that means that if you found him, if you were allowed to find him, you were meant to.  
A message.  
What was even the point in hurting him!? Wasn't he harmless to Ryuzu the moment he lost? There was nothing he could _do_ to him anymore, so hurting him… hurting him was completely superfluous. He could've just thrown him out of the gate.  
_But he woke me up._ Maybe it's related to that. An attempt to stop him, maybe, or…  
Or Punishment.  
You grit your teeth.  
_Enough._  
Check, one hand lightly on his chest, that you can still feel him breathing.  
_That's enough._  
Stand, your blood hammering, your lungs burning, and your body is humming with so much anger that it feels like it's going to burst, your jets breaking out of the skin of your back and expanding, flying you up fuelled by pure rage.  
_I've. Had. Enough!_  
You look up, towards the platform, and he's there, _smiling_ , and just like that the storm stills into clarity, your shoulders falling back.  
He grins. You've started running before you even decided to.

The last two coils of the path feel like forever. You're running, and with every step it's like you're gathering momentum, pulling on the accumulated wishes and pain in the gate, the dreams of those who stepped in with you to fight, the lives of those, a world away, who are watching their future disappear. It's power, almost dizzying, and you'd never known it would feel so _natural_ to be drunk on it, to have it flowing through your veins.  
You reach the platform, and him, and you don't even remember what it's like to be scared.  
“Ryuzu… Myoujin...” you hiss out. He turns towards you, smile still smugly plastered on his lips, and you flare, burst. “I'll stop you even if it costs me my life!”  
_For both my worlds. For the right to_ choose _. For the people I love whose hearts and lives you trampled on for your stupid_ dream!  
His smile widens into an almost smirk.  
“That's the spirit. Well, then. I'll put my life on the line, too.”  
And you'd never thought it would come to this, but deep inside you, there's something powerful and inexorable and terrible, and it grinds with slowly rising momentum and whispers: _good_.  
“I stand in defense of my wish,” Ryuzu proclaims. “The results of our fight… will determine everything in the future!”  
_But what about—_ you wonder, but he continues, confirming your suspicions.  
“We have already opened the Stride Gate and brought the perfect future to this world. In order to truly realise it, to have the truth of the universe endorse making these current circumstances eternal, I just have to win this once.”  
_So everyone else has won, then. Good._  
“Vanguard will lead to the truth,” he says, and as he steps forward, the ground around you shines, crumbles, rock falling away to bare metal, a platform of gears and energy now floating isolated in the Gate's ethereal light.  
A duelling stage, from which no one can run.  
_As if I'd planned on running._  
“Our world… Cray… The destinies of both worlds reside within each card. The results of this fight will shake the fate of the world, rewrite future itself, and weave a new world, just as I imagine it.”  
Behind him, another structure descends. One, two—twelve gears over its surface like the hours on a clock, one for each of you.  
“ _That_ is the real reason Vanguard came into existence in our world. The power to create the future will materialise in the form of a fight. And that same fight will guide the future to a new horizon,” he says, walking forward to set his deck down on the Vanguard table that's materialised in the center of the platform.  
He places his first Vanguard down. You reach for your card, feel it humming with life under your fingers, answering you. Set it down to face him, still face down.  
_You're on!_  
“I'm going to protect our future. On the feelings of everyone who's supported me until now, everyone who's given me a place in their life, I swear I won't let you have your way!”  
A bell rings. Closer now, resonating everywhere around you. But you barely notice it, bursting as you are with the drive to _fight_.  
He smiles, smug.  
“This is the final trial… the one true trial. I fight for a perfect future!” he calls out.  
“I fight… for a future that each of us gets to choose!”  
“Stand up,” you call in unison, “Vanguard!”  
“Chrono Tigar!”  
You take a breath, let your fingers hover on the humming card for a fraction of second. Turn it over, and let the image bring you to life again.  
“Chrono Dran.”  
He blinks. Then smiles.  
“So the first of the Zodiac Time Beasts has returned to you? I see… that's what that fool was trying to do.” He chuckles. “Well, no matter. I don't mind; things will truly be fair this way.”  
You grit your teeth.  
“Oh, he's here all right,” you mutter. _Here and ready to kick your ass._  
You pull Timebreak Dragon's card out of your hand and ride him, moving to the side. It comes naturally, simpler even than breathing, as thoughtless as riding a bicycle has become, your eyes still fixed on Chrono Tigar, on Ryuzu.  
_They feel familiar…_  
Tigar definitely feels like a Time Beast, resonating both with you and with the gate. And yet—you don't remember ever meeting them. And then they look up at you, just before Ryuzu rides, and something in you recognises them.  
_Chronofang…_  
From a lost corner of time, maybe. All of you must have been young, once upon a time. With the way you move through and against its currents, it's sometimes hard to remember.  
“Ride,” Ryuzu calls. “Voltaro Idea-drone.”  
One last look, sad and scared and determined, and Tigar disappears, replaced by the Colossus before blinking back into your sight behind it.  
“Attack.”  
The hit connects, and pain shoots through you. It takes you half a second to realise that it _is_ your vanguard that he's attacked—your human body shakes, almost collapses as the pain courses along its nerves, and you struggle to breathe for a second.  
You hear him chuckle and look up.  
“The space-time of the planet Cray and our world commingle here,” he states, superior. “And on top of that, the Zodiac Time Beasts have already manifested in reality. Naturally, that battle will also affect us. As promised,” he adds with a smile.  
Your ears ring. But it's not with fear. No, what you feel, as pain settles into your skin and speeds up your heart, as the reality of what will maybe be a battle to the death sinks in, is excitement.  
After all this time watching people around you get hurt, it's about time you had a real fight with him, with real stakes, for _both_ of you. A real duel that he can't just run away from if he loses, that he has to face the consequences for.  
You're fully ready to give your life for it.  
You smile, the roar of power building up in your veins, a call for battle.  
“ _Great._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading~  
> As usual, comments would really cheer this insecure writer up, please tell me what the chapter made you feel~


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END IS NEAR... I didn't expect for this chapter to be so long.

**Chrono**

There's pain running through your veins, and somehow it feels like your mind has never been clearer.  
It's like feeling both nothing and everything at once. Like only this battle exists, and like it's resonating with the universe itself, with everyone you hold in your heart and every world you've touched. A contradiction, suspended in space and time, and you let its power carry you, fill you.  
You were born to battle, and to defend Time; that much you know, at least, a knowledge that comes from your bones rather than your brain. In a way, this fight has been your destiny all along.  
In the space you share with Ryuzu, out of the flow of space and time, your human body smiles and draws your next card.  
You ride.  
“History-Maker Dragon!”  
You call Melem to the back row and move in front of her, eyeing the enemy's field. It feels strange, to be on the front line, but in a way this reflects reality too. You're done being protected.  
You attack with your vanguard first, then launch yourself at his when he guards, putting all your rage into it. He falters, his body taking damage along with his vanguard, and a deep part of you bares its fangs.  
He scowls.  
“Why would you go this far to reject the future I offer? You're just like your father.”  
You almost laugh. You'd laugh, if the idea didn't make you so angry.  
He rides, another of those new colossi.  
“I call Althinios and Diaperno! Diaperno attacks!”  
You're still holding back your laugh of disbelief as you fish for a guard.  
“It's got nothing to do with him. I don't care what he thought. I don't care about his goals. This is _my_ own will! Sacrificing a planet so we could be happy with a world that only _we_ want? I'd never accept something like that!”  
He grits his teeth. Kaigomai raises its gun towards you and History-Maker.  
“Attack!”  
You're braced for it this time, and still the pain makes you almost scream, hands pressing to your helmet, hand almost dropping your cards.  
“You talk of sacrifice?” he seethes. “So what? We've discussed this enough before. If there is a way to save the world and a power that can do it, then not using that power is a sin!”  
He attacks again, with Tigar this time. You grit your teeth against the pain, your body slightly dizzy from it and yet at the same time buzzing stronger, as if its power had stayed in your veins. As if the pain itself was feeding you.  
You take your damage, then draw.  
_It's time to give him hell_ , you tell your partner as you pull his card out of your hand.  
“Ride!” Your partner, your leader, your mentor, your other self. “Chronojet Dragon!”  
He rises, and just like that you feel stronger, stable. You're no longer alone—but you've never really been alone.  
For a fraction of second, you think you see him smile at you.  
“I call Delayed Blazer Dragon! Attack!”  
He takes the hit and you keep going, Chronojet plunging towards his vanguard.  
“That Stride Gate of yours isn't gonna save the world. No matter how I look at it, it's just an illusion!”  
“No Guard.”  
“Twin Drive!”  
Another Delayed Blazer. And then, to your relief, coming to your aid:  
“Heal trigger!” You rescue Arlim from your damage zone. “Power goes to Chrono Dran!” You put the card in your hand. “You decided everything on your own and then forced it on everyone else!” you continue as Chronojet's hit connects and Ryuzu stumbles back with a pained gasp. “That's not the kind of future we want!”  
For a second, he stays silent, and you allow yourself a smile. But he looks back up and straightens, moving closer to the table again, and his eyes are filled with animosity, almost hate.  
“You people… you all seem to have the wrong idea about what I'm giving you. The world of imagination brought by the Stride Gate isn't my creation; it's no more than what each person desires deep in their heart. The true yearning inside their subconscious.”  
It hits you like running into a brick wall.  
_Then that dream..._  
… the family you'd always felt freaky and inadequate for not having. The carefree life you resented yourself for having taken from Mikuru. The loving parents you'd always wanted to meet, that you now know were just a chimera, and your 'father''s love the most fantastical of them all. And even deeper down, even then, the knowledge that you weren't who you were pretending to be, trying frantically to include you within that idyllic picture anyway.  
And maybe you'd have liked that world. Maybe you would have—if you hadn't already known and lived through all these things, anyway.  
How can you want to live with a man you know abandoned you, now? How can you want to give up on the bond you built with Mikuru, almost like mother and son? How can you give up on all the things that shaped you, on the pain and fights you shared with your friends, with your loved ones, on everything that makes you _you_?  
No matter how much your heart might yearn for a gentler story, for a little warmth and safety sometimes, losing all of that makes you shake with revolt.  
You don't want this. You never asked for this. And most of all, you can't stand your mind and heart being violated and plundered, your feelings used against you, your choice taken away from you, _again._  
You grip your cards tighter.  
“Of course, pain, suffering, violence and the like will also all be eliminated from there. But rest assured, I am not foisting on people anything that they don't want. It's the exact opposite,” he states, so calm and self-righteous that it makes your blood boil.  
You try to collect yourself. To let that fury sink into your blood too, instead of clouding your brain. Still poised to attack.  
“… and who the hell asked you to do all this?” you hiss out.  
“… huh?”  
“You say you're doing what people want, but the point is, who asked you!?” you ask, almost yelling this time, and as he takes a step back in front of your anger, you finally attack. “You go and read people's freaking _hearts_ without even asking, and then you eliminate their pain without their permission! How is that doing what people want?” You launch yourself from Melem's board and finally connect with his vanguard, the kind of punch you'd so badly wanted to give him when you first remembered about his plan. “We don't want a world without pain! We want a world we can _choose_ , a world we can grab ourselves!”  
He stumbles back, falls almost to his knees. You wait, still buzzing with the need to _fight_ ; he looks back up at you, and his composure is finally broken, his teeth clenched, his body shaking from both pain and anger.  
“What nerve,” he seethes. “You say that so _easily_ , Chrono. Just from that, I can tell how much you don't understand reality.”  
Not understand reality? What don't you understand, when so much of your life has been loss, scorn, loneliness, _betrayal_? How is shoving one's head in the sand any better!?  
“You're the one who doesn't understand reality! You can't even see what's right in front of your eyes!”  
“How childish,” he interrupts you before you even get a chance to tell him. “But it's fine. Chrono, I will take you by the hand and guide you towards the perfect future once more. A future of happiness for the many! A future of the greater good!” he almost chants, his voice louder and more vicious, almost yelling he he draws and shows you his card. “Ride! Chronofang Tiger!”

Chronofang rises in front of you, his shape so large compared to you that he almost eclipses your light. You stand your ground, at Chronojet's side, and hold his gaze.  
And there, in his eyes. Recognition.  
He knows.  
You stare back, refusing to look down, a challenge.  
_Long time no see, Chronofang. I'm not as clueless or powerless as last time._  
“Chronofang's skill! I bind Chronocharge Unicorn, and Melem goes back to the bottom of the deck!”  
For a second, you can't breathe. It has nothing to do with an actual attack; on the field and in front of him both, you're fine, but in the distance you feel yourself choke. And in your ears you hear the sound of something heavy and metallic clicking into place.  
_What—_  
He doesn't allow you time to dwell on it.  
“Transcend!” he calls out, striding. “Deus Ex Machina, Ergos! And I call Diaperno Idea-Drone, Chronoethos Jackal.”  
There, too recognition, the pain of being used against their will, but in their eyes, hidden behind the soulless colossus, you can see their belief.  
_I'll free you, I promise!_  
“Tigar attacks!”  
You reach for a critical.  
“Guard!”  
“Ergos attacks your vanguard!”  
You don't have a choice. There's no guarantee you can guard enough for his triggers, and even if you do, you'll be powerless against his next attack.  
You grit your teeth.  
“No guard.”  
“Triple Drive.”  
Chronospin. Chronobeat. Chronotimer. One after the other, your comrades fall into his hand.  
“Draw trigger. Power to Diaperno.”  
Ergos catches Chronojet in mid-air, its shape dwarfing him even more than Chronofang did you, and you barely have time to clench your teeth before its attacking ray hits and pain shoots through every cell of your body.  
Blood, skin, bones, _heart_ ; every part of you screeches with it, the pain burning through your vision, through your ability to _breathe_ ; you can barely scream, a mangled, angry whine breaking from your throat instead.  
You heave, your desperate need for air the only thing stopping you from being sick, and as you try to _see_ again he continues, unaffected:  
“Ergos's skill activates. I bind the top card of my deck, return Emellanna from the bind zone to my hand, and bind Chronospin Serpent from my hand instead.”  
You barely have time to catch your breath. Again, the sound of metal rings through you and through the gate, and pain chokes you again for a second, a nauseating aftershake.  
_Again..._ you pant, and you know what he's doing now. It's the same pain you felt earlier, while you were still waiting, the moment your body was bound and you felt your energy drained, along with everyone else's.  
Chronocharge. Chronotherapy. Chronospin. Already three of them have been bound.  
_Just what is he_ doing _?_  
“Oh, did you feel that?” he gloats. “When all twelve Zodiac Time Beasts are bound by my hand, the perfect future will come to this fight as well. There is nothing you can do to stop it.”  
_Is that why he's so confident?_ Is there some kind of power he's drawing from all of you, directing the fight as it directs everything in the gate?  
_You can't beat me with my own power_ , you snarl inwardly. Especially not now that Ibuki has returned your card to you.  
No matter what he's making them do, you know everyone is supporting you too. It'll just have to be the kind of fight where the one with the strongest conviction breaks through.  
And you don't intend to lose.  
You look back up at him, defiant. But he only smiles, as if your challenge was merely amusing to him.  
“Ah, did I tell you? This is the technique that sentenced Kouji Ibuki to oblivion.”  
Your throat tightens again, chokes you, and this time it has nothing to do with physical pain.  
“But you have nothing to fear,” he continues, almost casual in his cruelty. “When the perfect future comes, you'll be together again. You'll be able to live together in this new world.”  
_Shut up._  
“Diaperno attacks. With his skill, I bind the top card of my deck, and he gains 2000 power.”  
You can't afford to guard it, and again your body pulses with pain as Chronotimer is bound, then as his attack hits, driving black into your vision for a second again, but you barely feel it. There's rage, gathering in your body again, the sensation of Ibuki's body resting in your arms fresh again, his trusting smile twisting at your heart.  
“Come to think of it, he was quite the unfortunate wretch, too.” _Shut up._ “Always looking for a way to atone for the sins he was burdened with, trying in vain to free himself of the darkness he brought upon himself… Clinging to _you_ as his only hope...” _Shut up!!!_ “But don't worry. He will finally be saved, too. By being reborn inside your imagination, you see.”  
You burn.  
“ _Don't you dare talk about him!!!_ ”  
He only chuckles, and you want to wipe that freaking smile from his face.  
“Diaperno's skill. I look for two cards from my deck, bind one,” (Chronoethos, and again the gate rings, and your body with it), “put the other into the drop zone. And since the bound card is a Zodiac Time Beast, I countercharge.”  
You try to breathe, to clear your vision.  
“Turn end,” he says, casually.  
You blink, look back up. He's still smiling.  
“There are only seven cards left. And why wouldn't I talk about him? I know that man infinitely better than you do, after all. He is the one who took it upon himself to become my arch-enemy.”  
_Shut. Up._  
You draw, and the cards answer your fury.  
“Stride generation!”  
You stride Chronoscommand, send Diaperno flying back to the deck where it can't bind more of your friends.  
_Let's do this._  
You move back, call a second Delayed Blazer in front of you to time leap the first one, power coursing through you almost as if you'd been in his place.  
“Maybe I don't know anything about him,” you grit out, standing straight to face him again. “I don't know what he's been through, I don't know his _reasons_ , I don't know _why_ he went and accepted that Gear Chronicle deck, why he accepted being the one who had to face you. But you know what? It makes no freaking difference!”  
You throw your first attack at him. He guards.  
“No matter how good he is at fighting, there's always been more to his fights than pure strength! They've been there to tell me whether he was honest or not! They told me _who_ he was!”  
Your throat hurts. Tight from pain, from fury, from how much this fight has made you cry out already. But you can't stop.  
“Chronoscommand attacks!”  
You can't stop screaming at him, as if the strength of your voice could keep Ibuki safe, shelter him.  
“I was just a brat who couldn't do anything, didn't know anything, no faith, no ambition, but you know what? He believed in me! I lost to you and became almost completely useless and he _still believed in me_!” You're crying, you suddenly realise, and it makes you shake even more. “He opened my world, he fought so hard to bring me back everything I'd lost, even if he didn't know the truth, he sacrificed himself so he could keep his promise to me!” And he smiled, as if that alone had been worth it, as if just getting to help you had made him happy, even though the pain was so intense he could barely keep his eyes open, even though he was bleeding in your arms. He smiled, and he believed in you. “It's his faith in me that carried me so far, and I'm going to live up to his expectations! Everything he opened to me… everything he gave back to me… I'm going to protect them with all I have. Everything! Everyone!” No matter what, with all your heart, with all your strength, with your life if you have to. “Even if Vanguard is the only thing that connects us… I'll hold on to that bond and protect it!”  
Chronoscommand's attack shoots right at Chronofang.  
And just when you think he's going to let it through, his face distorts into a mask of hate grotesque on his childish face.  
“Guard! Emellanna, Quintet wall!”  
30 000 guard. With three triggers, you could break through, if you dare try.  
“Triple drive!”  
Upstream Dragon.  
_Damnit!_  
He smirks as your attack peters out. You clench your teeth and check your second card, your third.  
“Critical trigger!”  
Too late, and it won't be enough, but at the very least you can eat away at his hand.  
“All effects to Delayed Blazer.”  
“Emellanna's skill,” he says, his disgusting calm restored, “I bind a card from the drop zone,” (your lungs tighten as Chronodoze is taken too), “and return two cards to my deck.”  
“Delayed Blazer attacks!”  
“Generation guard! Interdimensional Beast, Pandora Chimera!”  
Something pulls at your feet. Before you can react, your awareness as Chrono Dran blinks out as you're taken from the field, leaving only you and your vanguard.  
“Skill activated. One of your back row rear-guards goes back to the bottom of your deck.”  
And just like that, your attack is over. You grit your teeth.  
“… I end my turn.”  
Not a single point of damage. He's still on three, and the only rear-guard you managed to get rid of is Diaperno.  
_What worth are your words and feelings if you can't even make good on your promises, Chrono?_  
You put your cards back in place, still trying to get your shaking under control.  
“… Vanguard is a bond that ties you together?”  
He's so quiet that it actually startles you. You look up.  
He's smiling, still, but it's a different smile, pain rather than contempt and hate.  
“… I used to believe in that too. But with time...” his voice hitches, and you realise he's _crying_ , “the bonds that tie people together become tangled. They tie them down and hurt them and warp all those feelings you believe in. Kindness is crushed underfoot… friendship becomes possessiveness, respect turns to jealousy… both sides cling to their own feelings and hurt each other… eliminate each other… and in the end, the lost bond never comes back.”  
He looks up, and smiles, and if he hadn't been the one to relentlessly tear at your own bonds, you might even have sympathised with him.  
But in the end, the closest you can feel is pity.  
“… people can't come together as one, Chrono. Try as you might, in the end, it's impossible to understand each other perfectly. Even through Vanguard… no matter how much you harness the power of imagination… it won't bridge that gap.”  
_… but..._  
There's something Off. Something that doesn't click right about his words, but you can't pinpoint _what_.  
“Stand and draw!”  
He draws his card, and a satisfied smile slips on his lips.  
“Chronofang Tiger's skill. As the cost to transcend… I bind Chronodash Peccary!”  
You grit your teeth, take the pain and dizziness in stride.  
“Transcend! Chronotiger Rebellion!”

In front of Chronojet, Chronofang evolves, into something that barely looks tiger-like anymore. Further and further from himself, a loss of identity as the cost for his unnatural power.  
_What are you doing, Chronofang..._  
“Chronotiger Rebellion gains 5000 power for every two cards in the bind zone. I move Jackal,” he says, before continuing, as if trying to justify himself even to himself: “That's why I have no choice but to to this.”  
He attacks, Tigar taking out one of your dragons.  
“I searched for so long for a way to make the world One through Vanguard… and this is the only answer I found. But thanks to this one image… thanks to this perfect image, I will protect the world's future! Chronotiger Rebellion's skill!”  
You watch as he gathers even more power, charging energy like a mere weapon.  
“I bind one card from my hand, and one of my rear-guards!”  
Tigar and Chronobeat both get bound. You watch Chronotiger through your tears, too tense to let yourself miss anything.  
“Rebellion gains a critical and an extra drive! Chrono, this is the only path I could find!”  
_46 000..._ But your own cards have answered you, and the risk you took earlier paid off.  
“Perfect Guard!”  
Arlim jumps in to protect you. Even through Chronojet's eyes, you see the insane power of it, barely bouncing off her shield to wreak its destruction around you instead.  
_Hang in there..._  
“Quadruple Drive!”  
Two critical triggers. You reach for another card, another friend to help you.  
“Generation Guard! Retroactive Time Maiden, Uluru!”  
Uluru, who never fought, whose greatest strength _was_ in bonds and emotions to begin with. Uluru, whose greatest weapon was her voice. Uluru, the messenger.  
Chronoethos's attack collides with the protective power of her Stride form, and they fall back.  
You stand, still unharmed, and in his eyes you can finally see the first hints of shock and _fear_.  
He catches himself, smiles.  
“… I end my turn. But there are only three cards missing; soon everything will be complete, and Judgement will be rendered. Judgement on you… and on the people of this rotten world…”  
He trails off as his eyes rest on you. And you're not sure what he's seen in your face, whether he expected you to break, or to give up, but instead you're feeling stronger, larger, protected by all the bonds you've made, but also because you're finally starting to _see_.  
You're not quite sure yet, but you think you're starting to grasp where his yearning for gentleness got warped.  
So you smile, because this isn't a battle that can be won by desperation and tears. You'll have to believe in your own truth, in your own heart, until the very end.  
“… I'm not gonna lose, Ryuzu. You think you've found the only answer? Well, I've found mine. And I'll never accept your future.”  
He stares. Hard, but still a little scared under his false smile. You take a breath. Gently rest your fingers upon Uluru's card, waiting patiently in the drop zone after saving you.  
“… for the sake of everyone on Cray… for the sake of my friends who're fighting too, for the sake of everyone I love… and Vanguard, which opened my world again… I'm going to win.”  
He scoffs.  
“Those are illusions, Chrono.”  
“No more than your perfect world!”  
He shakes his head.  
“You'll understand eventually. No matter how much we put our imaginations to work, no one can truly understand one another. Or maintain a bond forever.”  
“Do you think I don't know that? Do you have any idea how much I've lost already? How many times I've been left alone? Even now… whether I win or lose, I have so much at stake, so much to lose. But you know what? That's no reason to stop fighting!” His lips stay tight. You keep your eyes on his, refuse to back down. “Stand and Draw!”  
“Those are the simple words of someone who hasn't known true despair.”  
“Y'know,” you tell him, because you _have_ to try, “I keep thinking… Why're you going this far? Why do you want a 'perfect future' so badly? What happened that crushed your ability to hope so much?” You shake your head. “But I still don't get it. And it bothers me, cause I feel like I almost understand.” Close enough to feel his pain, but not quite yet to tell him where he went wrong. “And it's the same for me y'know? I keep trying, but, even if I think I got my feelings across, the truth is, I don't know. All I can do is try. But y'know… That's why we fight. As many times as we need to!”  
“Fight? How can fighting allow you to understand anyone? Do you think conflict will restore the bonds you cling to so much?”  
“It's not about conflict! For ten years, I was almost a void. I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't make friends. I didn't _know_ how to bond with people! But when I started fighting… I started thinking about _why_ people acted the way they do. That's…” you trail off, take a breath to keep down the choked sob trying to escape your throat, “that's something Ibuki taught me, too. A fight tells everything about a person. If you don't do your best to understand the person you're fighting, you'll lose in the end. Fighting… fighting bares the person you really are. And even if it's scary, that's how you become stronger! And because of that, I made friends. Even though I was so empty, even though I didn't remember anything, even though I wasn't human, I got to share those fights with people and understand them. I have people I love now! And I'm gonna protect them with that same fight that led me to them!”  
He freezes, halfway through another scoff.  
“Not… human?”  
_Now you're finally listening._  
“Yeah, maybe you'd have noticed if you weren't wrapped in your own little world you want to force on us. Even now I tried to tell you, but you still didn't listen. You claim you want a world where conflict will be solved by talking, but you've never listened to what others had to say!”  
He stays silent. Part defensive and part confused, vulnerability only making him angry.  
You sigh.  
“… it doesn't change anything, really. But I'm not the boy who came to see you at work ten years ago. I'm the one who wanted to see a new world so much that I got pulled through the gate to meet him.”  
He blinks. His mouth opens, slightly, in a gasp or a silent word, and his eyes widen with it as his mind finally adds up the pieces.  
“… Chrono… Dran…” His chest jerks, a silent, disbelieving laugh. “A… aha… it all makes sense. That's why you're opposing me. If I win… of course, you'd try to protect Cray and your own life.”  
“That's not it!”  
“But even if you try to oppose me, I won't back down,” he says, and his voice sounds almost mad, wrapped in self-deception as he tries to bring things back within the little box of what he knew. “To save this world from falling into despair… Judge me if you want, but sacrifices are necessary. Even Chronofang Tiger has sided with me! Why don't _you_ show some of his nobility!? Why won't you deliver that bright future to the people you claim to love?”  
You stay dumbstruck. How does he even come to those conclusions? How warped has his heart become, that he'll justify those words to himself?  
And deep down, you know that you might have accepted, a while ago, if it had only been you at stake, if all of Cray didn't hang in the balance. But not anymore.  
You've lost enough to know that you'd never inflict that pain on someone you love.  
“… so be it, then,” he says, quietly. “This will be the last real battle, the last real conflict. A war between two worlds. But don't be afraid. When I win, I will deliver you mercy from a lifetime of struggle and despair.”

Silence falls. He's staring back at you, smile tense and wavering, eyes glinting.  
“… you really don't understand anything at all, do you?” You sigh. There's no helping it, then. You'll just prove your feelings to him. “Stride Generation! Chronodragon Nextage!”  
Nextage stands in front of Chronofang, and _that_ feels natural, too, another piece of yourself falling into place.  
“Stride Skill! Chronoethos goes back to the bottom of your deck! I call Upstream Dragon!”  
His face remains frozen.  
“This isn't just about saving Cray!” You attack with Upstream first, activating his skill to get more power. “I didn't know who I was even an hour ago, and even if I didn't, I'd still be fighting you! The people I love? The people I love are real, living beings, with feelings, with choices, not puppets moving around a daydream! Their pain… their dreams… their strength when they move forward, that's what I'm protecting too!” He guards, and you send Upstream back to the deck, calling Causality Dragon instead to power up Delayed's attack. “They all opened my world… I don't want theirs to be closed! Nextage attacks your vanguard!”  
He grits his teeth.  
“No guard.”  
“Triple Drive!”  
One critical. You power up Delayed even more.  
“If I go back to being Chrono Dran, I'll lose the life I built until now. D'you think I'm not scared of that? D'you think part of me doesn't want to shove my head in the sand and hope that if you win I'll stay in this body and live that perfect life you keep talking about? But if I do that… if I do that, I lose everything else! Everything I can become. All the new people I can meet! Letting go of the past's scary, but like hell I'm giving up on my _future_!”  
The attack collides, and it's his turn to curl up in pain, teeth gritted around a whimper.  
“Nextage's skill activates! I stand Chronojet!”  
And once more you're standing in front of him, above this world that you're trying to protect, and this fight is what you were born for.  
“I never thought about it until I encountered Vanguard. I thought just surviving was enough. But now I wanna know more! The friends I hadn't met yet… the world I hadn't seen yet… the parts of myself I hadn't discovered yet… if I hadn't reached out, I'd never have known them! If I'd hidden in what I already knew back then, I'd still have nothing! Chronojet attacks!”  
He guards. You drive check again, and give your critical's effects to Delayed Blazer.  
“I don't need any perfect future! There ain't anything new there! It's a world made up of everything I know already! The future we wanna grab is one that we don't know yet! A future we can shape for ourselves!”  
Delayed Blazer roars, and attacks, sizzling breath rushing towards Chronofang.  
“Guard! Emellanna! Quintet wall!”  
And once again, his wall brings forth its share of triggers, blocking your attack completely.  
_Shit._  
“Emellanna's skill.”  
You know what's coming next, and can only brace yourself and watch helplessly as Chronovolley is bound too, the shock of it ringing through your ears and body.  
_Only two left..._  
“A future you can shape?” he asks, quietly. “Is that worth paying the price of pain and suffering? Violence and war? Endless despair?” He looks up at you, teeth clenched. “What need is there for uncertainty when the future is already shaped perfectly!?”  
Something shifts inside you, like goosebumps down your back, like the roots of your hair electrifying with a sudden feeling of danger.  
Something's coming. Something cold and unnatural and inhuman—if human is even the word. And every drop of your blood that was born with a dragon's feelings and to protect the right course of the universe is screaming.  
“Chronofang's skill! As the cost to transcend, I bind Chronoclaw Monkey!”  
_One left_ , you count to yourself just as he opens his mouth to tell you the same thing. _But is that enough? Is he sure enough of himself that he'll start whatever this is without all twelve safely bound?_  
“By searching for something new like that, you may end up losing everything and finding nothing at all. Risking that much, for something so uncertain… the price you have to pay is just too heavy!”  
Without him even reaching for his g zone, the card at the very top starts shining, as if by a life and power of its own. Your hair stands on end as it lifts itself off the table and comes to hover in front of him, the light too strong for you to even see the unit on it.  
“ Now, bring the perfect future that will save the world! Transcend! Deus Ex Machina, Demiurge!”  
The sky opens, the fabric of reality tearing apart, something even harsher than Stride. Like an incursion from another world, another reality, another time. And slowly, a distorted echo of something godly, it descends in a shower of light. Immensely tall, glinting metal and consuming lights, shining like a cold, soulless apocalypse.  
There is nothing you can feel from this creature but destruction.  
_It's like Messiah's opposite..._  
The last resort of one who has lost all ability to hope.  
_This idiot—_  
“Don't just assume there's only gonna be despair!”  
He ignores you, continuing as if caught by his own momentum, reciting a script.  
“I call Anarchia Idea-drone! I will remake this imperfect world, and lead the way to a perfect future! Anarchia's skill activates! I return it to the deck, along with one gear colossus from my drop zone and soul each, shuffle, and look at the three first cards of my deck!”  
He draws his cards, and a small smile, smug and satisfied but almost sad, pulls at the corner of his lips, at his eyebrows.  
“You don't understand, Chrono. But no matter how much you deny it… the truth of the universe has already taken my side. I put one card into my hand. One into the soul… And bind Chrono Dran!”  
You almost scream this time, like you did earlier while you were still stuck on that platform, the sensation of your power grasped and torn out ploughing through your entire body, your vision swimming, your image and both your realities mixing in a hazy mess of colours and light.  
And as you blink the tears out of your eyes, the symbols that represent each of you all glow behind him, and in answer, the gems on Demiurge's metal aura shine with a light of their own.  
“I call Chronofang Tiger!”  
You grit your teeth, shake the pain out of your head at Chronofang stands in front of you again.  
_I have to stop him, no matter the cost._  
“Demiurge's skill! I take twelve Zodiac Time Beasts with different names from the bind zone, and put them into the drop zone. And in exchange, I take twelve cards from my drop zone, and put them on top of my deck in the order I want! Teleios Paradeisos!”  
The cards rise, as if answering his voice, and you watch as they rearrange themselves in his drop, then lay, one by one, on his deck, a perfectly neat pile. He looks at you, and smiles.  
“And now the future is set.”  
Demiurge's form shines even more, its arms spread like an angel's, and you try to stay calm in the face of its design of annihilation.  
_Even with three triggers, it's nothing a perfect or generation guard can't handle… would Ibuki really have been taken down by something like this? Even if the next cards are also predetermined… He's stronger than that. There must be more to it. Think._  
Ryuzu looks down.  
“A new future… hope to have faith in… Everyone wishes to grasp these things. But they can't, and that only brings despair. You're young, so you don't understand… you don't understand the existence of the kind of despair that can only be saved by something like this!”  
And you get it. Finally, you get it.  
To warp imagination into something so cold and strict and lifeless, as a mere source of energy rather than a force to change the world… he never believed in it to begin with.  
“You say it's fake!?” he cries out. “Escaping from reality!? Go ahead and laugh if you want!  
This perfect future, the only real hope we can depend on, can you really reject it, Chrono?! Can you truly sentence the people of this world to unending despair?”  
He lays his hand on Demiurge's card. You wait, bracing yourself for whatever is coming.  
“Humanity's ancestors set off for land, before they could even breathe air. But there was nothing there! Nothing but despair and pain… And that's why I'm sinking everything into a sea of imagination! Into a kind world that will drift about eternally, protecting us! Demiurge attacks! Thanks to his skill, you cannot guard with cards grade one or over!”  
Demiurge charges its attack as the pieces click in your head. _So that's what happened…_ The predetermined fight he seems to rely on… and blocking all of Ibuki's defense…  
But you're not as powerless. Your image won't crumble to his scripted world, his scripted fight.  
_I'm the grain of sand that throws off his perfect machine. I always have been.  
I'm the butterfly's wing no one could have predicted.  
Even back then—_  
You don't remember everything, but the closer you are to your body, the more your memories are returning, and even back then, they had called you—unpredictable, unreliable, why are you like this Chrono Dran, a child like him with Chronojet's power is a liability.  
(But that was before you had to survive alone in another world, before learning to move in a body that isn't yours, before guilt.)  
_I'm… chaos._  
And you won't let him take everyone's freedom.  
“Forget it!” You reach for Uluru's card yet again, calling onto her to summon your last hope, your last chance. “Kindness isn't some lifeless dream! Kindness is what we give one another! It's the bonds we build that wrap around us and cushion our pain! I don't want to drift! I'm gonna stay in the real world! And fight for a future that goes beyond sadness! Generation Guard! Interdimensional Dragon, Heteroround Dragon! Heteroround's skill activates! I send Chronofang back to your deck!”  
He scoffs.  
“Futile resistance…”  
“And after I send it to the deck, I shuffle it!”  
His eyes widen as he finally understands, as his carefully constructed, tunnel vision future falls apart, its single path crumbling. Just like earlier, the cards rise by their own will, and before his still disbelieving eyes they move, falling out of order, back to their natural state, their order the voice of the Universe and not his.  
“Sh… shuffle!?”  
You don't leave him time to take it in. You bring your fist down, and the deck follows, settling back in place on the table.  
“And once that's done, I superior call the top card of your deck.” Steam Tamer, Nani. “Nothing is set in stone, Ryuzu! Not as long as we're alive!” You reach for one of your remaining triggers. “Guard! And intercept!”  
Just enough for three triggers to pass. A challenge, a test of destiny.  
_Will you take it, Ryuzu? Will you still try to break through?_  
If he doesn't, you're not sure you'd be able to guard, depending on what he draws.  
You wait. Under your stare, he chuckles, shaking with badly channelled fear and broken beliefs that he refuses to let go of.  
“Even—even if you try to destroy the future… my accumulated hopes will remain here, as a trigger!” He laughs again, shaking his head to convince himself despite the sweat running down his face and his widened eyes. “That's right… fate is still in my hand…”  
_Is it? What power do you think imagination will still grant you, when the only thing you ever trusted in was the destiny you wrote? What blessing do you think Chance will give you, when you were never going to leave anything to chance to begin with?_  
The risk taken was never his. And so you hope, with all of your heart, with all of your imagination. You hope for a future free of the shackles of oblivion.  
“Triple drive!” He draws his first card, smiles, his breath short. “Critical trigger! I give all the effects to Demiurge!”  
_So you're going to try, then. Bring it on._  
“Second check! Critical trigger!” He chuckles, weak and breathy. “The power goes to Demiurge, and the Critical to Nani!”  
_I can still guard that much… it's up to that last card._  
“I'll protect… my perfect future… my world where everyone can smile… Third check!”  
He pulls his card, still staring at you. Brings it forward.  
And you know from his lost, widening eyes, that fate has forsaken him.

He shakes, and turns the card over. Steam Scallar, Emellanna.  
“It's… it's not over! Nani attacks!”  
“Guard!”  
Heart Thump worker blocks Nani's incoming attack, and you're left standing, unharmed, as he almost collapses, holding himself up on the table.  
Somehow, you're calm. The storm raging in your heart has settled, the unbearable pull on your lifeforce ebbed. And all that's left now is you, standing at the crossroads of fate that finally turned, and there is only one thing left for you to do.  
Believe. Trust. Throw yourself face-first into the future, come what may, and fight any obstacles on the way. And protect, at all cost, those who opened you to the world you now love so much.  
“… y'know, you said it yourself… 'the power of imagination is limitless.' But for me, it's not just empty words. I actually think so. From the bottom of my heart. That's why I don't wanna give up. Maybe you'll still laugh and think I'm just being naive, but…” You close your eyes, for just a breath. “Tokoha and Shion… Taiyou… Am and Luna… Ibuki, too… it's only been a year since I encountered Vanguard and met all of them, but in just one year, they've changed me so much… they've come to _mean_ so much to me. Can you imagine what we could have done in ten?” You chuckle, shake your head. “The person standing here right now… isn't Chrono Dran from ten years ago… he isn't even the Chrono from a year ago. We can change. The _world_ can change. And when things go wrong, we can fight to change it again.”  
The only card you have left after guarding his attacks is Gear Wolf. Once more, the future will ride on just one card.  
_My friends… come to me… help me… let's show him what belief really is._  
“Maybe it won't turn out great. Maybe pain and suffering won't disappear. But that's no reason to give up and leave all the good behind! I wanna believe… in everyone's possibilities! Stand and Draw!”  
You reach for your deck, and feel warmth spread from your fingers to your heart before you ever pull the card.  
_Are you ready to fight your own future?_ a voice echoes in your head. And you've never heard it before in person, but you know it anyway, deep in your bones.  
Chronojet.  
_I am._  
_Then show me… the strength of those bonds you have formed. It is time for us to fight together, Chrono Dran._  
You draw Chronojet's card, and let it fall into your drop zone without even looking.  
“We're all gonna move forward! We're gonna keep walking on our own path, towards a new future!” And you clench your fists, let your shoulders fall back, and tilt your head up, calling towards the gate and your imprisoned comrades: “I fight for everyone who's shown me the way! On Cray, and on Earth too!”

The gate explodes in light. You lose sight of everything; the entire world goes white, even the iridescent colours of the gate a mere brush of sensation against your skin now. And above you, you feel—Chronotherapy, suddenly giggling—Chronodoze, shrugging with a relieved sigh—Chronodash, shaking their head to focus—everyone that had been bound, finally awake and ready to fight.  
_The power of the Time Beasts is yours_ , Chronoethos's voice murmurs in your ears, and you feel stronger, warmer, almost drunk on the happiness of feeling them again.  
_Don't forget us_ , Tokoha's voice chides, and when you turn you can see her smile in the shifting light, then Shion's eyes, Taiyou's laugh, and with each you become a little warmer, a little more yourself, surrounded by their strength and their support. Am, Luna, then, a laugh and a ghostly pat on your shoulder, and then it's Ibuki's voice, soft against your ears, _A fight tells everything about a person… I believe in yours, Chrono_.  
And from everywhere, they keep coming, voices, touches, trusting looks and supportive salutes, from friends, mentors, the people you met through the G quest, fighters from all over the world. Each with a sign of their own, a token of support, and the more come, the more you become a world of your own, housing the hopes and trust of so many people, so many futures.  
It's so much that you could explode, but for this influx of humanity and the hearts of those who aren't human, all you can feel is a burst of love, hope, protectiveness.  
And finally, right as you feel like you couldn't hold anymore, a last whisper, a hand on yours, a voice so alike you almost thought you spoke the words yourself.  
“You can do it… I'm with you too.”  
You gasp. In your hand, where he touched, an image of your card forms, blazing with light. And before it can fully take shape, it's Chronojet's hand that rests on yours.  
The light bursts like a firework, spreading in every direction, and finally you can see the gate and Ryuzu again, and in your hand, there's a card you've never seen before.  
Chronodragon Gear Groovy.  
_Now_ , Chronojet's voice sounds in your ears, _embrace your future._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR READING.... comments are love <3  
> Next chapter... a partial resolution, and a lot of new beginnings.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY IT'S HERE.... The end of part 1. Enjoy.

**Chrono**

In the Gate's bubble of time and reality and fate, you take a second to close your eyes. You hold the card close to your chest, smiling, and let the voices within you resonate, thousands of wills unified.  
It's up to you to watch over them, now, and you realise that you don't mind it at all.  
You hold on to it tighter, and draw on its power.  
_Now show me…_ “the world I truly desire!” you continue out loud, opening your eyes and letting Chronojet's body become yours. “Stride Generation!”  
Your form expands, the jets at your back stretching and pulling away, spreading almost like wings, and in it you can feel not just your power, but Chronojet's too, supporting you and guiding your hands in this new, adult form.  
In front of Ryuzu's wide eyes, the card flies by itself to the vanguard circle.  
“A… new unit?”  
There is no hesitation left in you anymore.  
“I move Causality Dragon back, and call Gear Wolf! Gear Groovy's skill activates! I choose two face up Gear Dragons from my G-zone, and Gear Groovy gets a skill from each! I choose Nextage and Chronoscommand!” He gasps and you continue. “The accumulated past becomes power that leads to a new future! Every fight, every struggle makes you stronger and opens new paths!” You soulblast, and flip another G unit. “Gear Groovy's second skill! 5000 power!”  
He stares. Completely dumbstruck, all assurance lost, eyes and mouth wide with almost childish awe.  
_See? That's what happens when you don't lock yourself into one path._  
“… Ryuzu… you know, I finally got it. I think in the end… you believed in the power of imagination the least. You never actually believed in what it could become.” You take a breath, and attack. “Chronoscommand's skill! If this attack hits, all your rear-guards go back to the bottom of your deck!”  
You swoop down on Chronofang, jets and gears burning with the power you inherited. Ryuzu grits his teeth.  
“Guard! Emellanna!”  
The cards pile on the guard circle, five triggers for 50 000 guard, but it's your friends that rise in the reality wrought from imagination, and even as they're forced to defend him, there's trust in their eyes. Before they wink out, Chronotherapy gives you a wink.  
_What a shame you didn't come for him one card earlier, huh?_ you think, a part of you laughing in joy inside.  
With that much guard, no matter what you pull, this attack won't get through. But it doesn't really matter.  
“Triple Drive! Draw trigger! Power to Gear Wolf!”  
He hisses between his teeth and takes back his cards.  
“Emellanna's skill! I bind a card from my drop zone,” he says, and his eyes flit towards you for a fraction of second as he binds your own card, but those shackles have already been broken, and you don't feel anything anymore. He continues, voice shaking. “And I return two cards to my deck and shuffle.”  
Two heal triggers. He's already picturing himself losing this turn.  
_I'll make it come true, then._  
“Are you really rejecting them!?” he asks, clenching the table to hold himself up. “Will you really reject the people who are looking to this perfect future as their final hope for salvation?”  
“Nextage's skill activates!” You drop all the remaining cards in your hand, everything you have left, for that last gamble. “Gear Groovy returns to the G zone, and Chronojet stands!”  
“You reject our only hope to save our future? You would destroy it with your own hands?!”  
“There is hope! Hope for _everyone_! As long as we don't give up, that hope will never disappear! No matter what kind of pain we'll find from here on out, no matter how hard it is, all the time we've spent together, the bonds we've formed that keep us connected will give us the strength to move forward! If you sacrifice those, then you've already given up!” And you fly towards him, without holding back. “I attack your vanguard!”  
“Guard!”  
A single trigger, his only hope to guard both attacks. But you know he's already counted on it failing. You fly faster, with everyone's strength at your back.  
“Let's go! Together! Drive check!”  
Arlim. Ryuzu grits his teeth.  
“Let's go… towards the future!” You draw your second card, and you know from the moment it's in your hand. “Critical trigger! All effects to Chronojet!”  
Your fist connects with Chronofang. As he doubles up and flies back, the images that had been carrying you fly past you and away, their mission accomplished.  
_Good job_ , Kamui's voice says, and others follow, Jaime, Shin, a teasing voice that you think might have been Ren's, a harsh one that definitely is Kanzaki. And all those you don't even know, flying towards a new, free future after granting you their power and hope.  
_Thank you..._  
Ryuzu sobs once, stumbling back at the pain of the attack reaches him, then pulls himself back to the table, shaking.  
“It's… it's not over… I won't let it be over…” He draws his first damage. “Heal trigger!” he calls out, a scared smile barely showing itself on his lips as Chronofang holds himself up, barely supporting himself on one arm. “I will bring… the perfect future… second check!”  
He draws his second damage, and it takes him several seconds before his eyes really take in what he's holding in his hand.  
He freezes, disbelief sapping the rest of his momentum, and the critical trigger drops from his fingers as Chronofang crumbles to the ground, the last of his strength spent.

And the bell rings.

For the first few seconds, you don't know what to do, what to feel. You'd been so drunk on power and love, so strongly burning with bonds and hope and imagination, that just standing, staring, now, feels unreal.  
_You've won_ and you barely feel it, and yet at the same time the truth of it is deep within your bones, humming.  
And far above your head, you feel your body answer, the tension between the two tangible, taunt, vibrating like a harp's string.  
Calling to each other, again, not out of chance but out of inevitability this time.  
You already know what's going to happen, and you're scared. But you're not going to run away.  
What is there for you, in a world where you just hide from the truth? No, no matter what comes, you'll face it. You'll walk forward.  
You've survived much worse, after all, and now you have people who love you to keep you going. Mikuru. Shion, Tokoha, Taiyou. Ibuki.  
With them there… you want to discover who you can be now.  
In front of you, Ryuzu shakes and stumbles forward, slamming his hands onto the table in anger and disbelief and clinging to it to hold himself up.  
“The truth of the universe… chose _you_? Why!? Is this just… punishment for…”  
He trails off.  
Around you, the flow of power slows, stops, hovers. Reverses, slowly at first, like a body of water slowly picking up speed, and you _feel_ it as the wave grows, accelerates, hold your breath just on time to feel it crash past you and up.  
Your hair stands on end, floats.  
And he laughs. Small, sad, derisive. And somewhere, in the middle of that, almost fond or proud.  
“… you were right. Imagination…” He shakes his head, slowly, and looks up, towards the gate that's humming louder and louder with reversed power. “When did it begin… when did I _stray_? I wanted to change the world with the power of imagination… to create a world without pain and violence… and yet look at me… look what my dream of _peace_ had become… I didn't balk at using violence… at sacrificing others…” His eyes squeeze shut. “I let the world of violence I wanted to mend poison me… and became no better. Instead of believing in myself… I convinced myself… 'this is the only way'…”  
He laughs, and it sounds like a sob.  
“Ryuzu…”  
“I gave up… on my own possibilities… and became the very thing I hated… perpetuated the very violence I'd set out to eliminate… dragged the people I loved into my war.” He looks at you, then, and he's smiling slightly, sadly. “You were stronger than me, child, to keep believing after everything was taken from you. Your wishes for this world, even now… were warmer than mine.”  
You look at him. His face hardens, its expression final.  
“You win.”  
Far above, the gate shatters, and with it everything that kept you bound.  
Something hooks itself into your heart and pulls, and you choke, the sensation of being torn apart and ripped from your own flesh consuming you again, the string to your other self humming stronger than ever. Louder, faster. Closer.  
“Zodiac Time Beasts...” Ryuzu proclaims, “Released!”  
Through the static in your ears, you hear a yell, coming from above. You look up, just on time.  
Fall, as Chrono Dran's body collides with you. Stop.  
For a second.  
Existing.  
And open your eyes, to a world of shimmering light and a body that feels too small and shuddering, sobbing breaths next to you.

You breathe. It _hurts_ , in a way that isn't quite pain but still feels horribly wrong. And yet, another part of you, the part that sung with space and time and power, that part finally feels right. At home.  
You gag, once, press your arm to your face.  
_Keep it together… you're not done here, you have to protect everyone, you have to get back to Ibuki..._  
You have to take care of the boy who was captured in your place, too.  
You roll to your stomach, somehow, and try to stand. Your wheel spins when you try to put weight on it, and you fall back on your stomach, the armour biting into you.  
“Hn...”  
“… so it is true.”  
You look up. In front of you, on the other side of the platform, Ryuzu's looking at the two of you, eyes wide.  
“To think… you'd been right under my nose… this entire time…” He shakes his head. “You must hate me.”  
“I...”  
Your voice comes out hoarse, tilted.  
Next to you, Chrono whimpers and half-crawls, half-scrambles back, putting you between them.  
Ryuzu smiles.  
“It's fine. The other Time Beasts will soon reach this place too… and I will undergo my Judgement. You will be free of me. There is no longer any reason to be scared.”  
You frown—squint—try to straighten again. It's hard to focus—but when you finally do, you realise he's moving away. His platform is floating away, towards the clock behind him.  
You gasp.  
“This place too will be destroyed… in a matter of moments.”  
Understanding hits you like a wall and you force yourself up, stumbling for solid ground until you realise that you're floating.  
“Ryuzu!”  
“Don't worry. My fate is tied to this Stride Gate. That is the price I paid for drawing on its power.” He pauses. You try to move, find yourself almost stumbling to the ground instead. “… I have made many sacrifices to get here. I'm not allowed to go back. Taking responsibility is the least I can do. So I won't come back to haunt you. … this is good-bye, Chrono.”  
You grit your teeth.  
“Don't…” _Move, damnit!_ you tell your body, and focus all your imagination on moving forward, pulling from the sensations of your fights, “give me… that… did you listen to nothing at all!?” and your jets burst into flame, throwing you forward; “Stop… running away!”  
You fly to the next platform, only to be hit back by a wall of light, almost crashing back to the ground with the recoil.  
He gasps.  
“… Chrono?”  
“That's not… what taking responsibility is… are you gonna… do the same thing again…?” you ask, struggling to stay upward, staring with rising panic as his platform moves away. “Stop giving up… on your own possibilities… you don't know what you can do… in the future...”  
He gasps. You throw yourself at the barrier again—“Your future's not over yet! Ryuzu!” — and this time it does send you back flying to the ground.  
You cry out in pain, then clench your teeth in frustration.  
“… Chrono.”  
His voice is soft, and you roll back to your stomach, look up at him again. He's smiling.  
“… Chrono Dran,” he amends. “If I hadn't been so stubborn… if I'd had the time to meet you properly, back then… perhaps…” He chuckles. “Perhaps… I could have seen… what brilliant potential every person of our two worlds holds. Perhaps… I could have believed again.”  
He's so far away already.  
“… I fought, and I lost. There is no room for me to be bitter. But… I have no regrets. I believe… someone like you can lead the worlds to a brilliant future.” He looks up. “… look. Your friends are here.”  
You gasp. Above him, the Time Beasts, shining with the same iridescent light as the gate itself, are floating down, a spiral that circles towards him, his small body at its center.  
He spreads his arms.  
“I surrender. My future, and everything I fought for… let them disappear with the Stride Gate that carried them.”  
Your own body starts to shine. The spiral wraps itself around him, and pulls at you, your body slowly floating towards the others, until Ryuzu is shrouded in light. You finally stop moving, hovering in a circle with everyone else, the light holding him up like a pillar, a bubble, a cage.  
And he stops moving. You gasp, look up at him. His eyes are empty, his face caught mid-expression, surprise and a hint of fear, widening his eyes.  
A small hand takes your own, reassuring.  
“He won't hurt you anymore,” Chronotherapy says, unusually quiet, a gentle smile on their face.  
You nod. Despite all the emotions you feel like you should be experiencing right now, you just feel… strangely empty.  
You don't know how to react. You don't know how to _feel_.  
You barely know who you are.  
“What do we do with him?”  
You blink. The voice is familiar, but you haven't heard it in so long…  
“I say we get rid of him,” Chronobeat growls.  
“Is that not too harsh?” Chronocharge asks. You turn to look at them, grateful for the light that holds you up and protects you from any accidental flights.  
“Did you forget how he almost killed us _and_ all of Cray's inhabitants?” the voice from earlier says, and this time you identify it as Chronovolley on time to look at them too.  
“I think,” Chronoethos says in a calm but firm voice that quietens down the others as they were starting to speak all at once, “the human boy should get a say too.”  
“He is not one of us,” Chronospin says.  
“But he was imprisoned and used as one of us, and would have died along with us. I think he deserves to at least speak his mind.”  
You turn. You'd almost forgotten Chrono in your shock, but he's still on the ground underneath, awkwardly sitting and hugging himself.  
“… child,” Chronocharge asks gently. “What do you think.”  
“I…” He stops, breathes in sharply, tightens his hold.  
You wish you knew what to say. But just seeing him is making you shake.  
“… I don't know,” he finally says, voice rising in panic. “I don't know!”  
“It's all right,” Chronodoze says, before turning back to the others with a sigh. “He's in shock; what did you expect?”  
“What about you, Chrono Dran?” Chronoethos asks.  
“I…” You try to gather your thoughts, what little of your feelings you can still reach. “… I don't want to kill him. He might have done something wrong, but… he was just _scared_ , I think… and it got worse and worse until it was too late…” You tighten your fists. “And he's not the only one who participated, is he?” you ask, trying your best to harden your voice as you look towards Chronofang, who's been silent all this time.  
Silence.  
“… He has a point,” Chronoclaw says. “Chronofang, what do you have to say for yourself?”  
“Chronofang will be dealt with later,” Chronospin says, cold. “This is not the issue at hand.”  
“For myself,” Chronofang says, interrupting them, “I have nothing to say. Judge me as you will, if you can.” He pauses. “But be merciful to Ryuzu. I am the one who reached out to him. If you must blame someone for the situation at hand, then I am the one responsible.”  
You blink.  
“Easy for you to say,” Chronodoze mumbles.  
“Wh—what if,” you say, “I kept an eye on him?”  
They all turn to you. You tighten your fists, and force yourself to keep talking, no matter how weird and wrong everything feels, from your throat to your hands to the sound of your voice.  
“He's… harmless now, right? So there's no point in killing him—I can keep an eye on him so he doesn't get up to trouble… but that way…”  
“… Chrono Dran.”  
Chronodoze's voice, soft but firm. And, you realise with a shiver, heavy with a feeling of something ineluctable.  
You trail off, stay silent. After a few moments, Chronocharge speaks again.  
“You cannot stay on Earth, Chrono Dran.”  
The gears in your heart stop running.  
“… huh?”  
“The gate must be closed. If it remains open, the flow of destiny will stay unbalanced, constantly trying to make up for what was just fed through it. And there will be nothing to stop someone else from trying to use it, be an Earth human or someone on Cray.”  
You shiver. The thought of someone on Cray using the gate to wreak havoc on Earth…  
“But then why…”  
“The gate can only be closed by all of us, together. We will have to cross it, and close it behind us.”  
“I…” You choke. “… you're kidding…”  
Your head is nothing but static. Leave Earth? Leave your friends behind—your _family_? You'd tried not to think too hard about the logistics, but you'd been so sure the people you love would still accept you, even as a non-human, but having to _leave_? The battle happened so suddenly, you'd just disappear without saying goodbye to anyone, you—  
_Ibuki_ , your mind jumps to frantically, you promised you'd come back, you have to get him to safety—to explain—  
“I have to get Ibuki somewhere safe!” you blurt out, “he's wounded—let me get him help first, I _promised_ , I can't just _leave_ —”  
The looks they give you and each other freeze you, a cold sweat that sinks into your very flesh.  
_What..._  
Chronotherapy's hand tightens in yours.  
“… Chrono…” they try to say, quiet.  
It's Chronospin who finishes for them.  
“Kouji Ibuki is already dead.”

For a moment, you can't even react.  
The words have no meaning to your brain, and you stare, shellshocked into silence, as your body takes the hit instead, the cold certainty reaching your bones as your chest, your throat clench in disbelief.  
You breathe in, and it almost makes you gag.  
“Wh…”  
It clenches, choking you.  
“ _What…?_ ”  
“He died of his injuries while you were fighting Ryuzu Myoujin.”  
“Chronospin,” Chronodoze says, voice rising for the first time, “give it a rest. He needs time.”  
_Time? What time!? What's time gonna do_ now _if it's already too late!?_  
He was dying.  
He was _dying_ and you left him behind.  
You feel sick.  
“I…” You breathe in, sharply; “I want…” _I want to see him!_ your heart cries out, but what would you even _do_? What would it even change?  
You know exactly what he's going to look like. You're the one who put him down, after all.  
_He was still breathing!_  
But you were too slow. If you'd gotten to him faster, if you'd _beaten Ryuzu_ faster…  
To think you were worried about _him_ when…  
You bite your lip, and instantly wince, the sharper teeth breaking through the skin. But it clears your head a little.  
Just enough to press your hands against your face, and wish you could cry.  
You want to see him. But that's not really what you want, and you know it. What you want is to hold him close and tight, like earlier, and for him to be warm and _alive_.  
You remember his smile, and laugh, a single sob breaking out of your throat.  
_He didn't even know_ , you realise. He gave his life for your victory, freed you, and he still didn't know who you were.  
And now you won't get to tell him.  
You want to cry, and can't. The idea of a world without him feels gross, absurd. You need him there. You need him there because there are things you need to tell him, things you need to hear from him. Fights that you have to have, and an apartment that he needs to go back to that you still haven't seen, and he needs to be there the day you finally—no, you can't be clan leader anymore, you realise with a sob, but that doesn't change anything: you want him there, you _need_ him there, you need his solid presence in your life to figure out how you can go on, you have to coax out his smile, he can't just be _gone_!  
“H-how do you even know that!? You were stuck up there until right now, right?” A mad jab of suspicion eats at your stomach, and you don't believe it, you don't _really_ don't, but— “How do you _know?_ ”  
Chronobeat snorts.  
“We are not trying to fool you,” Chronoethos says, gently.  
“The gate and us are one,” Chronospin continues. “We can feel it like we feel the flow of time and space, almost like part of our body. You may have forgotten what those sensations and knowledge are, but if you focus, you should be able to feel all the beings present, both alive and dead. Check for yourself if you don't believe us.”  
Check? You almost laugh again, the pain and panic fighting their way through your throat. You need to, and yet—  
How do they want you to _check_? To keep stretching your mind and senses when you can barely exist without breaking down, until you finally… feel his corpse…  
You gag.  
You want to see him. You want to see him but you can't, you'll _break_ , you'll—  
“… Chrono…”  
You squeeze your eyes shut. You can't talk, not right now.  
“Chrono,” Chronotherapy says again, pulling on your hand a little, “it's not over.”  
“Huh?”  
“When the Gate is closed,” Chronoethos explains, “everything will revert to its original state. The events that have taken place while it was open will be rewound, with the exception of this Judgement, of course.”  
“… wait, you mean—”  
“The damage caused to buildings and people on earth during your fights will be undone, and your friend will wake up unharmed outside the gate,” Chronocharge explains. “That goes for the other victims as well.”  
_Oh no_.  
“… what other victims?”  
“Of the arbiters, Shion Kiba and Shouma Shinonome were also killed,” Chronospin says, and it's only because you've lost the capacity to feel anything more than numbness that you don't choke again.  
“… what about Tokoha? Is she all right? … Taiyou?”  
“Your other friends are safe, as are their opponents.”  
You nod. That's something at least.  
But it still doesn't fix the problem. It doesn't bring Shion back. Or Ibuki.  
But you can.  
“I…” You swallow a sob. “I'll come.”  
It doesn't matter what price you have to pay. If there's a way to bring them back…  
“That's all and well,” Chronotimer says, “but what do we do with this one?”  
_Make him pay_ , a deep, buried, long-forgotten anger growls, sharp with pain and loss. But it dies, almost as quickly as it came.  
You're tired.  
Tired of all this fighting, this death, this betrayal, of watching people grimly waiting next to loved ones who may or may not wake up. You're tired of families being broken apart. You're tired of children being left alone to hurt.  
If you punish him for losing hope, who should you punish next? Am, Hiroki, for hurting enough to follow him? Luna, who already paid such a steep price? Taiyou, who lost his way once? Ibuki?  
Where does it end?  
“We can't just let him run free,” Chronoclaw says with a sigh.  
And you know you can't. But maybe…  
“… I have an idea.”  
They all turn to you. You swallow the hard feeling in your throat and keep going.  
“… make him start over. Turn back the clock for him too. If he's just a baby, he can't hurt anyone,” you say, glancing towards Chrono, who's still curled up on the floor. “And that way… he has to go through life again. He'll have to… face all the scary parts he was trying to run away from. That's a good enough punishment, right?” you ask, looking up at them, trying to put any kind of determination into your voice. “But… it's also a chance. Maybe this time he can make a change in the right direction.”  
Silence. They look at each other. You refuse to, can't stand their eyes on you, so you look up again instead, to Ryuzu's scared, suspended form.  
It's the right choice, you think.  
“… are you sure?” Chronoethos asks.  
You nod.  
“There's been enough suffering already. I don't want any more death.”  
They nod.  
“Is anyone against this?” Chronocharge asks, louder. “Chronodash, you haven't given us your opinion.”  
“I'm not good at big plans, you know that. But I think Chrono Dran is right.”  
You look down to look at them, and your eyes fall on Chronofang instead.  
For a moment, you almost shudder, the image of a gigantic fist coming down towards you flashing in your mind. But the moment passes, and the look in those eyes—the look in those eyes looks like gratitude.  
“If there are no objections, then,” Chronospin says, and in the silence that follows you feel your body hum with power and purpose.  
Chronoethos looks at you.  
“If you still do not control your power, let us lead. Simply release it, and it will respond to our joined purpose.”  
You nod, awkwardly, and close your eyes.  
_Release it..._  
Something around your heart feels tight. Mentally, you grab it, twist.  
Power comes rushing through your body, through your skin, and makes you gasp. In the center of the circle, Ryuzu slowly grows smaller, his hair shorter, his body dwarfed by his clothes.  
And finally, all that's left in the column of light is a dark-haired sleeping baby wrapped in a shirt too big for him.  
It feels strange. It feels empty. Such a big victory should have felt elating, but the only feeling you can muster as you stare up at him is a bittersweet sense of things that have come to an end.  
And it doesn't escape you, either, that in a way the person he was has just died. It's a responsibility, a knowledge you'll have to bear.  
(Is one still the same person, once your memories are erased? Who were you, in those first years you spent as human, your mind and memories an almost blank slate? Are you even Chrono Dran now, even in this body, when you grew from a different starting point into a completely different person?  
You don't know if you'll ever have answers. And you wish you could have watched over his growth, even just to know if you made the right choice.)  
“… we can't just drop him on the ground outside the gate…” you murmur, halfheartedly, words coming almost slurred with the weight of everything.  
“No we can't,” Chronoethos says. They turn. “Child.”  
It takes you a few seconds to realise he was talking to Chrono. Apparently, curled up as he is, Chrono hasn't realised either.  
“… Chrono,” they say, louder but more gently.  
He jumps, a little, a little jerk of his shoulders as he looks up in fear.  
“You'll need to carry him,” Chronospin says, and right away you see his eyes widen, his shoulders tense, his fingers scrambling for purchase to move away.  
“I'm sorry,” Chronoethos amends. “We know you are scared. But you are the only one who can get him to safety.”  
“I don't wan—” he starts, but then he squeezes his eyes shut and finally nods.  
Ryuzu is still floating right in front of you. You reach forward to catch him.  
In your smaller arms, it's hard to hold him properly, but you settle him there anyway, and the feeling wakes something strangely sad and nostalgic in you.  
“I…” You wince. “I don't think I can fly there safely,” you tell them.  
Wordlessly, Chronofang moves forward, and reaches for you. You squeeze your eyes shut as his hands settle on your hips, pick you up.  
He won't harm you while you're holding Ryuzu, you try to remind yourself. It still doesn't stop you from being scared.  
He flies you over, across the gap between your platform and Chrono's. You nod, the closest you can muster to a grateful look—looking at his face is still too much for you, especially this close.  
Chrono's still hugging himself. Watching you from behind his knees, his eyes just over them.  
Seeing him in your—what used to be your body still makes you feel sick and dizzy.  
You clench your teeth, and let Chronofang push you a little closer, keeping his own distance.  
“Here…” you tell him, quietly as you hand him the baby in your arms. “Sorry—you can hand him over somewhere safe, okay? I'm not asking you to actually take care of him…” You pause. “… can I… can I ask you one last thing?”  
He stays silent, but nods, finally reaching to take Ryuzu from you.  
“Can you tell people what happened? I didn't have time to explain anything to anyone, they won't know…” You bite down the urge to shake. “And… Ibuki… please explain everything to him… he needs to know… And please… tell him I'm sorry for…” you hold back a sob, “for not keeping my promise. Tell him… I said thank you for everything.”  
He nods.  
“… and give him my deck. I don't want anyone else to have it,” you add, almost shuddering at the idea that the man you thought to be your father could be the one holding your card. “It should go back to him.”  
“… okay.”  
“… I'm sorry. Thanks.”  
“No, I— I'm the one who's sorry.”  
You smile. You don't even want to, but the irony pulls it out of you.  
So much pain, for the simple mistake of a little curiosity. All because the two of you got caught in the ambitions of people who cared little for you.  
You can't even find it in yourself to be jealous. You just feel sad.  
_Good luck_ , you want to tell him, but you can't. You just nod, and let Chronofang carry you back.  
“Are you ready?” Chronocharge asks as you reach them.  
“No.” You'll never be ready, not to leave everyone you love behind. “But I don't have a choice. Let's do it.”  
They nod.  
_I have to. I have to. I. Have. To._  
You reach towards the others with your hands. Chronotherapy moves forward to take one. Chronodoze the other. They pull you closer.  
Above, the gate pulls at you, the current of two worlds' destinies tugging at your body as it rushes past.  
“… let's go.”  
Across from you, Chronospin's shape lights up, a silhouette of pure, shimmering light even brighter than the gate itself. And as the current pulls, they seem to dissolve and bleed up, like ink into water.  
Up, and away.  
Chronocharge lights up next. Chronodoze, their hand fading from yours and flowing away. One by one, your comrades abandon their physical shape on Earth, letting the Stride Force that kept them solid return to its natural state, going back to where they belong.  
When Chronofang's support behind you starts fading too, a wave of panic hits you, almost making you double up.  
_I don't want to leave!_ your heart retches, a desperate, visceral cry as everything you know and love hovers just within your reach, for just a few seconds more. But you bite your lips, without a care for the blood that gushes out, and hold back your tears, hold back the scream fighting to break out of your throat. You can't stay. You can't stay and doom people who've come to mean everything to you.  
Chronovolley shines. You keen, quietly, an almost hysterical giggle at the edge of your lungs. Long, continuous, torn.  
Your fingertips start to shine.  
_I'm sorry_ , you reach out desperately, a last cry for the world you leave behind. _Thank you. I love you._  
You're one with the current, no fingers or tail left to see, no lips left to bite, and under you the gate itself dissolves, as if your presence was all that was keeping it into existence. You rise, and the light dies with you, winks out behind you, a slow nightfall as you float into space.  
Earth looks so beautiful among the darkness.  
You reach the gate. Catch a last glimpse.  
And wink out, the world and the gate with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE DID IT, KIDS. We made it happen.  
> Anyway, I'm going to take a short break from posting as I work on some more advance chapters for part 2, so I can try and have a slightly more regular posting schedule. I suspect part 2 will be just as long as part 1, or even longer.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who's read so far. I hope this was as much of a wild ride to read as it was to write. Thank you for your support!  
> And if you enjoyed it, please tell me what you thought! Or if you have any favourite parts, or at what point you figure out Everything, or if you have theories for part 2 (I love theories)
> 
> Thanks again, and I'll see you all for part 2. It'll still be posted under the same fic, so no need to go looking for it!


End file.
